Miburo Soku Zan
by Pechan
Summary: After the murder of her father by Hajime Saito, Tokio Kobayashi trains herself in hopes of killing him. But how can she carry out her vengeance, when she soon falls for the wolf? (fixing the typos now)
1. Default Chapter

**Pechan does not own any of the Rurouni Kenshin franchise.  
  
~Prelude to Deception~  
  
"HEY!!!"  
  
Tokio Kobayashi fell to the ground, her new kimono probably ruined for good in this mud. She looked up at the carriage that she had to dodge in order not to get crushed.  
  
"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOIN', YOU FRIGGIN' JERKS!!" she screamed, waving her fist angrily.  
  
~ In the Carriage~  
  
Okita pulled open the blind, looking outside, "I think there's a lady yelling at us, sir."  
  
Hajime Saito grunted, not at all caring.  
  
Okita smiled at him. "What will you do sir?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"After we surrender, of course."  
  
Saito looked out his window, where his blinds were open a crack. Outside, it was raining. It pattered against the window, and he found it to be rhythmically soothing. After all, all these years of war and violence and terror were supposed to come to an end. With this new Meiji government. Highly doubtful. There will always be evil. If you crush one, another, just as oppressing will rule. There will always be evil. And as long as there was, there shall always be the creed of Aku Soku Zan. And Saito was damned to carry it out. Till his very death.  
  
"Sir? Did I upset you?"  
  
He looked at Okita. The boy entered the Shinsengumi in hopes to right the world, under the Shinsengumi's brand of justice. Most boys grew into broken men, for most men went insane or depressed after the first kill. But no. He had found Okita ecstatic, gleeful that he had righted a wrong. He had killed a government official that had been bribing his way into office, and eliminating whoever he felt needed to be taught a lesson. Permanently. Okita was so happy, killing his family's oppressors. And he wanted more. He wanted to get rid of anyone that would dare let their greedy hands on this country. Okita was a fine soldier. What a shame it would be if he was forced to put down the sword he trusted so dearly.  
  
".............sir?"  
  
Saito closed his eyes, "The Meiji government offered me a job."  
  
"Oh? As what?"  
  
Saito looked out the window. "A spy. A secret agent. A cop, I don't know. I didn't read the whole statement."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Okita, I thought I made it clear, I despise the new government. I'll never become a dog. I'm a wolf, a Miburo, and I'll die gladly as one."  
  
Okita nodded, "Ah I see. I feel the same way too, you know."  
  
Saito nodded in acknowledgement.  
  
Okita tugged at his armguards, it had been a while since they had last changed. "..... if things turn out the way we're predicting, I plan to commit seppuku."  
  
Saito raised his brows, "You find no other way?"  
  
Okita smiled, shaking his head no. "No, I do not. I feel.. fulfilled, don't you? I mean, I got all the revenge I need. I've certainly killed more men than I could count, and.... well, I've been thinking.... do you think there's a God who forgives a man who has killed?"  
  
"No God I know of does."  
  
Okita sighed, "I knew there wouldn't. That's why I decided, the only way I can forgive myself by killing so many, is to kill myself."  
  
"That's foolish."  
  
Okita grinned at his long time comrade, "Heh, it's the samurai way. The Shinsengumi way, right?"  
  
Saito just stared at him, then returned to his scene at the window.  
  
The carriage rolled to a large building. The new government head quarters for this sector of Japan. The carriage's driver opened the door. The driver was soaked to the bone, "Your stop, sir."  
  
Okita smiled, "Thank you," and climbed out.  
  
Saito gripped the door frame, and stepped out. The rain was a bit heavier than he expected it to be. He looked up at the sky, darkened with this rain. Okita looked up too, "Are you thinking this may be the last time we feel the rain too, sir?"  
  
Saito wiped his face, wiping off the rain. "We'll see."  
  
~~ On the Other Side of town, at a Dojo ~~  
  
"Kobayashi!! You're late!!"  
  
Tokio kicked off her sandals, and bean to untie her kimono, "Sorry, sensei!! Some idiot nearly ran me over. I tried to clean my kimono-brand new, ya know- well, the water only spread it around, so there you have it, I made it worse."  
  
A tall, gray haired man in a gi glared at her, "Just don't do it again. We have no time to waste, ladies!!"  
  
"Yes, sensei!" responded the two other women.  
  
Tokio ripped off her robe, revealing she had been wearing a silk Chinese shirt and knee length pants underneath. Her sensei ordered her to wear them. These clothes were much more accommodating for fist fighting than a Japanese robe, which were more constricting. Plus, during a fight, they untie easily. No woman in here wanted to show the world what she was born with.  
  
"Do you need more time, Kobayashi?"  
  
Tokio sighed, "No, sensei. I'm ready!" she jumped in the ring.  
  
Sensei nodded. "Good. You'll be my first sparring partner."  
  
Tokio sighed, shoulders dropping, "Take it easy on me!! I just turned seventeen today!!"  
  
"Well, happy birthday. Now get!!" he commanded, pointing in front of him.  
  
Tokio stood in front of him, sighing again. "Okay, but please, no broken bones this time? They just healed."  
  
"No problem, just dodge my hits," he said.  
  
No sooner had the words left his mouth, Tokio caught his ankle, which flew to her face. She had her foot in his hands as his body jumped in the air, and his other foot smacked her face. Tokio was thrown across the room, "ERRGGH!!"  
  
"Ah, Tokio!" said one of the women.  
  
Sensei slowly paced towards Tokio's limp body, "Nobody help her. Or else you'll become my next opponent, Rei."  
  
Rei gulped, and stepped back.  
  
Tokio shook her head, and rolled out of the way of her sensei's heel. She got up, and quickly ducked under a kick, sweeping her own leg, and tripping him.  
  
Sensei hit the floor, grunting, "Errg, good good..."  
  
He sprang up, legs forward, his feet catching her hip, and driving her into the floor again. She grunted, and kicked him off her. He lunged, and struck with an uppercut. She caught his fist, pulled him in, and smacked him right in the face with her elbow.  
  
He keeled back, and sprang at her again.  
  
And on and on it went.  
  
Sensei was beating her senseless at first, but Tokio soon wizened up, and blocked all his moves. By then, she got to parrying. Soon, she began to strike before his fists could connect.  
  
In this way, sensei prized her over all his other female assassins. He just wished her temper could be kept in check. It could end up blowing her cover.  
  
After Tokio kneed his ribs, he dropped on his knees, hands up, "Alright.... alright...... that wasn't.... that wasn't bad....."  
  
Rei stamped her foot, "Hey! That was good for the Shinsengumi!!"  
  
Sensei shuddered, "Uggh, don't say that name ever again."  
  
Tokio wiped her bloody nose, and fingered her teeth. Ah, she managed to keep them all.  
  
"Alright Tokio. That was damn good. And frankly, I think my work here is done."  
  
Tokio looked up at him, her fingers clamping her nostrils to stop the bleeding. "Whug?"  
  
"I said congratulations, you passed the whole class. You're free to graduate, and move onto the next step."  
  
Tokio gasped, "You fwiggin' sewious?!! Oh, GOOL!!!!  
  
The girls laughed.  
  
The shorter girl, Azusa, smiled, "Tokio, stop pinching your nose."  
  
Tokio looked down, and removed her fingers, "Where do I go to sign up?"  
  
Sensei felt the cut on his cheek, "Ah, girls? Could you toss me a towel?"  
  
Azusa threw him one. "Thanks" he said, holding it to his cheek. "Well, that all depends what you wanna kill, Tokio. Are you with the Shinsengumi, the Bakufu, or do you just want to kill people?"  
  
Tokio cracked her knuckles, "I want the Shinsengumi heads!!"  
  
Sensei closed his eyes, "Ahh, yes, they killed your parents, I remember..."  
  
The other girls gasped, and looked at Tokio.  
  
Tokio kept her eyes on Sensei. She hear her blood dripping to the ground from her bleeding knuckles.  
  
Sensei thought, his finger on his chin. Finally, he raised his brows, "Well!! You're in luck!! Since the new government has been set up, they're collecting Shinsengumi pelts. And they pay really well per body. Heh, guess the Meiji wants to get rid of anyone opposing them. I can set you up with someone right away. But first, wait a week."  
  
"Why's it gonna take a week?"  
  
"Heal yourself. If you try to get around with battle scars all over you, then everyone going to be suspicious of you. Remember, you have to not just act the part, but look the part."  
  
Tokio nodded, "Acting, got it. What should I aim for? Damsel in distress? Gutsy geisha? ......... prostitute?"  
  
He laughed, "It ain't that easy. Look, most assassins just kill them in a dark alley, or from behind. Why do you insist on doing it the long way?"  
  
Tokio clasped her hands, "I don't want to kill ALL of them. Just one. ONLY one. Thing is, he's damn good. Even I could see that after one night of watching him kill. So, I know a surprise attack from behind won't work. So..."  
  
"Ah, I see. Girls!"  
  
The girls looked up.  
  
"Yes, Sensei?" asked Rei.  
  
"Take five. I have to talk to Tokio now."  
  
The nodded, and left the room.  
  
He turned back to Tokio. "You're going to try and gain his trust. You're going to be the deceptive type of assassin, aren't you?"  
  
She nodded, smiling, "Yep! That's the plan!"  
  
Sensei sat by the window, looking at the cloth. He was still bleeding. He sighed, "Alright. It is a guy, right?" "Are there any other kinds of Shinsengumi?"  
  
Sensei lifted his brows, "Well actually...... ah, forget. It's too late for that anyways. Okay! What are you going to do? Sleep with him, then kill him during orgasm?"  
  
She grimaced, "I don't want to touch that bastard's body!! I just want to kill him."  
  
Sensei shrugged, "Well, that would've been the easiest way."  
  
Tokio pouted, "Oh please. I wouldn't have been his type. He seems to be the sadistic queer.. bastard type, anyways. Besides," she looked away, "I want to hurt him. Really hurt him. Not only do I want to kill him, I want to kill his spirit. And what better way," she giggled, turning back to Sensei, "than to break his heart?"  
  
He laughed, "You really hate him, don't you?"  
  
"More than words can ever say, sensei." She said very seriously. "Sensei, can you help? You promised me you could!"  
  
Sensei nodded, "I know, Tokio. And believe me, ever since I saw you covered in blood, wandering the streets for help no one would dare offer, I swore I'd set your life to rights. I helped, didn't I? You got a roof and a free meal."  
  
"Free meal? Each meal cost me a rib!!"  
  
"And they heal just fine," he said, smiling. He got up, and dropped his towel. "Well Tokio. I was glad I met you. I really am."  
  
Tokio came up, and looked at him, "What is that?"  
  
"It's a handshake."  
  
"What's it do?" she asked.  
  
He smiled, "It's a western custom. Here," he grabbed her hand. She gasped. He shook it. "There. Congratulations."  
  
Tokio looked at her hand. "Wait, was that to confirm my new job? Do I have membership now?"  
  
Sensei laughed, "Oh, why this country refuses foreign influences is beyond me....."  
  
~~ Back to Saito~~  
  
Okita sat in the room, waiting. Saito emerged, his face stern.  
  
Okita walked behind him, "What did he say?"  
  
Saito was silent as he stared out the window.  
  
Okita sighed, "No more Shinsengumi?"  
  
Saito sighed, "Correct. No more Shinsengumi. I had hoped you grew out of speaking like a child, Okita. You're nearly a man now."  
  
Okita smiled, "Maybe I like being a boy!"  
  
Saito went, "Hnh." And continued to look out the window.  
  
Okita sighed, "So! We are.... disbanded, huh?"  
  
"..... they still offered me a job. That is the reason it took so long."  
  
Okita looked at him. "Oh? You're going to take it?"  
  
Saito shook his head. "No. I've decided I lived as a samurai... so why not go out as one? I have nothing to lose. I have no home to return to, Okita. Neither do you. I see your reason does make sense."  
  
Okita giggled, "Oh.... uhh, about that. Listen sir, I just came up with a cool idea!"  
  
Saito didn't move, so Okita continued, "You know how you've said once, when the Shinsengumi are gone, this country will go to ruins? Well, you sir..... you're the only one the Meiji government will appeal!"  
  
"You're point Okita?"  
  
"Sir, I was just saying..... since we'll all die sooner or later, or leave the country-"  
  
"None of the Shinsengumi will leave, Okita. They are too proud for that."  
  
"They? And what of us?"  
  
"I have already decided death. As did you. We are no different than our brethren."  
  
Okita smiled, "That's where you're wrong! Look, I was thinking, since we're all going to.. well, fade away, you can take the job as a policeman! That's what they want you to do, right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No doubt the reason why they wanted your cooperation was because of your skills, sir. It seems they'd want you to kill for them."  
  
"I suspected as much."  
  
"I know. Here's my idea sir, why don't you live as... as I dunno, a lone wolf. As one of us! Still carrying the rule of Aku Soku Zan?"  
  
Saito sighed, looking at him, "I've thought of that already, Okita. And I'm only one man. One alone cannot make a difference."  
  
"But at least you can still carry our brand of justice. You can carry on our legacy."  
  
Saito smirked, "You speak as if I'm the only survivor."  
  
Okita's voice, though smile still in place, grew somber, "You will be, sir."  
  
Saito finally looked at him. He looked the boy up and down. He wore that Shinsengumi uniform as if there were no other kind in the world. An eager soldier, who never lost his flame. Despite the despair and agony he went through most of the time. He closed his eyes, "Why do you keep calling me sir?"  
  
Okita smiled, "Because I respect you, sir."  
  
Saito grunted again, and looked out the window. Okita chuckled, "Hey, think of me asking you to take the offer as my death wish......... well, not just mine, the entire Shinsengumi."  
  
Saito leaned against the window, his left arm on the sill. "............ looks like I don't have a choice." 


	2. Static Shock

**Pechan doesn't own any part of the Rurouni Kenshin franchise.  
  
~ Static Shock ~  
  
~~Later On, lets say, Two Years~~  
  
Tokio slapped a man who had tried to touch her in a place she didn't want. "Get the #@&^ away from me, you jerk!!"  
  
The thug wiped his face, "That hurt, you friggin'b!tch!!"  
  
Tokio frowned, "Good. Hope it kills you later."  
  
He followed her, "Look, you've been working as a waiter here for four months now!! Shouldn't we get to know each other?"  
  
Tokio slapped away his hand on her thigh, and picked up a tray, "Look Gichi, getting to know people is to tell each others private interests. Not touch each other's privates!!"  
  
Tokio flapped open the curtain to the restaurant. Gichi followed her, bringing a rag, "See? We need to work on that. You're not exactly a people person."  
  
She glared at him, "No, I'm not a jerk person."  
  
"You're right more like a bi-"  
  
Just then, a family came in. Tokio instantly grinned, and declared, "Oh, welcome to Hanaki! How many?"  
  
A man held up four fingers, "Four, please."  
  
Tokio bowed, holding out her arm. "Right this way please!"  
  
Gichi sneered at her, wiping a nearby table, "And the award for best actress goes to Tokio! As the amazing sometimes a b!tch sometimes a waitress!!"  
  
Tokio muttered through grit teeth, "Keep talking, jack@$$, see where it gets you- oh, here's a table!!"  
  
The family sat down. The boy banged the table, smearing it with the dirt he had been playing around with before. "I'm hungry!!"  
  
The mother grabbed his fists, "Yusuke! Stop that!!"  
  
Tokio smiled, "That's okay Miss!! The clean up boy will get that mark. It's all he's really good for."  
  
Gichi growled at her as she passed by, "So dead..."  
  
Tokio smiled, "Bye now!!"  
  
Tokio flipped the curtain, back into the kitchen. She sighed, "My God!! How did that moron ever get a job?"  
  
Kaneda, a waitress, sighed, "He's the owner's nephew. You know, blood's thicker than water."  
  
"He's a damn perv, is what his." Tokio muttered. She rolled up her sleeves, "You guys need any help cleaning?"  
  
Just then, the owner, Watanabe, poked his head out, "Hey, new girl!! There's a customer waiting on ya for a good half hour now!!"  
  
Tokio sighed, angrily replying, "Well, why didn't you tell me?!!"  
  
"You got eyes. Use 'em!!" he replied, "Before I fire that @$$ of yours!!"  
  
Tokio threw down the rag she had to clean the dishes, "Fat freak... I'm here for four months and I'm still the new girl!! Jerk..."  
  
She threw open the curtain, bringing her tray. She walked to the in the front, now occupied. Strange, she didn't notice him before. She came up to the person, and noticed her tray had a grease stain on it. Eww. She took her sleeve, and started scrubbing furiously.  
  
"So sorry sir, I was busy, I didn't mean to keep you waiting."  
  
"That's quiet alright Miss. I just hope you're boss hasn't fire you yet."  
  
Nice voice. Tokio sighed, scratching at the stain that wouldn't come out, "Yeah, you heard? Well, being a waiter's hell and all, but-"  
  
She looked up. And a wolf in a police uniform sat, smoking a cigarette.  
  
*Amber eyes.*  
  
**The Wolf.**  
  
*Golden, piercing eyes, holding the very souls of her family*  
  
**Wolfish, sneering eyes.**  
  
She felt her throat constrict, and all words inside her died.  
  
He frowned slightly, but the polite smile was still in place. "Is something wrong, Miss?"  
  
All instincts inside her told her to pounce, attack, kill, slay!! But instead, her stomach felt like throwing out everything she just ate. What's worse? To pass out or vomit?  
  
Her legs buckled underneath her as she blacked out.  
  
~~A few minutes later~~  
  
Her head rest on a nice, warm pillow.  
  
"Hey!!"  
  
**Who's fat voice was that?**  
  
"Hey, girl"  
  
**Sounded like someone she despised...**  
  
"Yo, new girl!! You dead?!!"  
  
Ah, the boss. Her eyelid's fluttered opened. "Huuuhhh.....? W-What happened?"  
  
Kaneda whimpered, "You fell, Tokio! What happened?"  
  
Tokio shook her head, rising on her elbows. "I dunno. I think I had a bad dream. Ughh.... some kinda..... demon dog.. or....."  
  
She looked straight up, and found that nice warm pillow was the lap of...... of the....  
  
She jumped up, "YOU!!"  
  
The wolf looked genuinely confused, "Me?"  
  
She panicked. Oh great, her training all comes to sh!t now...............  
  
Tokio stammered "I-I mean.. you!! Oh, I forgot! You're my customer!!"  
  
**Stay calm, don't pass out!! Keep from killing him!! Play the part, PLAY THE PART!!**  
  
Tokio shook her head, "I'm so sorry!!"  
  
The wolf rubbed his head, "Miss, if it's too much trouble, you really don't have-"  
  
"NO!! No no, I insist!! Wait here!"  
  
He sighed, "Look, I'm kind of strapped for time-"  
  
"Then I'll work harder. And if I lose my job, it'll be YOUR HELL to pay!!"  
  
He opened his eyes again.  
  
**Oh God, like searing gold.....**  
  
"Very well then," he nodded, smiling.  
  
Tokio nodded, "Oh good, wait here!"  
  
Tokio dashed into the kitchen. "Oh God oh God oh God.."  
  
"Lighten up, Tokio, it's just a cop," snickered Gichi.  
  
"Shut up, Gichi!! It's bad enough I gotta put up with you everyday!" She suddenly looked up, "Dammit!! Forgot what he wanted! Aww, I didn't even ask, damn.." she walked out.  
  
She held in a breath, gathering courage, and walked up to his table. She can do this, he was just some bastard murderer!! But one look at his face, and her knees slightly trembled. Dammit, it's those eyes. They're the reason she was flipping out. She sighed, and bowed, "I'm sorry, but what was it you wanted again?"  
  
He smiled, "Just a bowl of plain hot soba will be fine."  
  
"Soba.. hot.. plain, got it!' she said, running back into the kitchen.  
  
A fat cook named Takeda commented, "Sheesh, Tokio. What's this guy to you?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You're certainly going out of your way for him."  
  
"Am not!" she said indignantly. She ladled some broth into a bowl, and carefully added the noodles, since with every mistake was a cut to her pay.  
  
"Normally, you wouldn't actually prepare the food," pointed out Takeda.  
  
She pouted, "Well, let's say the police make me edgy!!"  
  
Takeda whistled, "I see. Well, join the club! I murdered my wife. Ah, ex wife, actually."  
  
Tokio stared at him, then opened the curtain, "Alrighty then!" she finally smiled, and sighed, "I gotta get out of this place............" she muttered, as she reached the table.  
  
"I agree, it seems stressful to you," suddenly inquired the wolf.  
  
Tokio jumped, dropping the tray. She bent to catch it, but his hand already darted out, catching it. The bowl didn't tip, and oh, she hated him.............  
  
He set the tray on the table. "Thank you. That'll be all," he said, giving a dismissive wave.  
  
Tokio sighed, wanting to kick him swiftly in the face, "You're welcome!" she grinned.  
  
Gichi watched her come back, then slapped her butt, curling his fingers into her skin, "Way to save, girl!!"  
  
That did it.  
  
Tokio punched him in the jaw. Gichi fell back, a cut on his lip.  
  
The Wolf turned quickly, still slurping some soba. The boss came out, looked at his nephew, then tried to yell at Tokio. "Hey!! Crazy slut, I oughta-"  
  
Tokio raised her fist. "You. Oughta. What."  
  
He stopped. Tokio smiled, "Mr. Watanabe, I would like to quit, please."  
  
Watanabe nodded, "F-Fine... who needs ya?"  
  
Tokio smiled, "Thank you so much..."  
  
Tokio removed her hair band. Now that she found the wolf, she no longer needed a stake out...  
  
She dropped the band on the floor, letting her hair trail behind her, as she walked out of the restaurant.  
  
The Wolf got a quick idea to go after her, see if she'll turn out okay. But then, the better of him was hungry. So he just finished his meal and went about his business.  
  
~~~One day, on the way home~~~  
  
Tokio walked down the street, kicking a stone. It splashed into a puddle, sending mud to splash against the wall. She had long ago tossed away her wooden umbrella, it was so old and soaked it collapsed under the rain. Actually, she liked the rain, despite her bad memories of them. It felt like the heavens were cleansing the earth, as her father had once told her....  
  
She shook her head, getting back to business.  
  
Okay!! He likes cigarettes, plain hot soba, tea, no sake, umm.... But what kind of person would a murder like?  
  
She thought, then grinned to herself.  
  
A victim, of course.  
  
"Yo, Tokio!!"  
  
She sighed, and turned. "What the HELL do you want, Gichi?  
  
Gichi had a bandage wrapped around his head, holding some gauze to his cut.  
  
She grinned, "Whoops! Nicked ya, didn't I?"  
  
Gichi sneered, "Go ahead, laugh b!tch. I'll be the one laughin' in the end."  
  
Tokio smiled, crossing her arms. "Really?"  
  
"Yeah. See, I really liked ya. You had mossy. Yet, you still found it funny to not put out for me."  
  
Tokio had to laugh, she couldn't believe this guy was so serious!!  
  
"Listen Gichi. You want a girl that bad? Go buy a whore. I got business to run."  
  
Gichi called out, "Stop," and Tokio heard metal sliding out of a sheath.  
  
She sighed, "Don't tell me I gotta hand your @$$ to you again, Gichi."  
  
Gichi sneered, as three more men came behind him, holding swords. "See, my friends want to... share their private feelings with you too."  
  
She put her fists on her hips, "Oh, ha ha, how classic; using my own line against me." She walked up to them, "Well, if that's he way it's gotta be, then FINE!!" she shouted, as she kneed Gichi in the ribs. He coughed blood, and crumpled to the ground. His friends gasped, taken aback. Tokio darted behind one, and punched a nerve cluster on the back of his neck. He fell too.  
  
The last man stammered, "G-Guys!!"  
  
And a ten more men came out of the shadows. Tokio's shoulders sagged again, "Oh, you gotta be kidding me."  
  
Gichi's friend held up his sword, "DIE!!"  
  
She kicked his sword out of his hands, then kicked his nuts. He keeled over, squealing like a pig. She scoffed, "The least of what you deserve."  
  
"Get her!!" shouted the men.  
  
She cursed, then leaped onto a roof, and ran for it. Forget offing like, twenty guys! She had to keep her reputation clean!! Had to be the part, not just act it............  
  
As she took a leap a bola suddenly wrapped around her ankles, binding them together. She gasped, and her landing fell short, with her falling on her shoulder.  
  
"NNGAAAAH!!" Okay, that hurt. No way to act that it didn't.  
  
Gichi came from the shadows, coughing, "Lousy $!@$, thought you could get away, huh?"  
  
She grunted, "H-Hey, who threw the bola? I know Gichi can't aim for sh!t."  
  
Gichi growled. A pale, black haired man came behind him. "I did."  
  
She smiled, "Ah. Good aim, buddy."  
  
Gichi laughed, "Man, you just don't know what you're in, girly..."  
  
He came over, and slammed his heel into her hurting shoulder. She held back a scream, as he knelt down, grabbing her flailing arms. He legs struggled to move, but the bola was so tight, it cut into her ankles. She couldn't get free.  
  
Gichi smiled, "You see, I don't plan on raping you. Oh no, I'm gonna give you to all my friends, too. Then we kill you."  
  
Tokio spat in his face, "Drop dead!!"  
  
Suddenly, the back of his fist connected with her face. The rest was a daze.  
  
~~Just Around the Corner~~  
  
".. plan on raping you. Oh no, I'm gonna give you to all my friends. Then we kill you."  
  
"Drop dead!!"  
  
Goro Fujita flicked away his cigarette. Great, another rapist. He rounded the corner, and checked out his latest victims.  
  
A man was watching his friend pinning a woman to the ground. Her legs were bound, so tight he could see blood seeping from the threads. She wasn't fighting so hard. So why............?  
  
Goro squinted. Ah. Blood coming from her nose. He probably hit her. He narrowed his eyes, Worthless dogs..........  
  
The pale man saw Goro, and went from pale to white, "H-Hey Gichi, there's a police guy here."  
  
The one name Gichi, who had already forced open the woman's legs and laid her tied ankles behind his neck, snarled at his accomplice, "Then get rid of him."  
  
The pale man gulped, and twirled a bola. Saito stabbed through him before he could think of what to aim for.  
  
Gichi looked up from his prey, and his pupils shrunk at the sight of the policeman. Saito looked at the woman he had. Ah, no wonder the voices were so familiar. It was that waitress and towel boy...  
  
He looked at the dog, "Sir, I must ask you to leave the woman alone. This is against the law, you know."  
  
Further analysis indicated that his fingers were bloody. Blood? There was a knife in his hands, and in his other, her mutilated ..............  
  
**Of all the lowest........**  
  
Saito narrowed his eyes to the mongrel dog, clenching his teeth, "Get up. NOW."  
  
Gichi stood, and lunged with knife in hand.  
  
Covered in that woman's.....blood..... and........  
  
"HYYAAAAH!!" the worthless fool screamed for a battle cry.  
  
Saito sliced him in half, without even batting an eyelid. He swished his blade, letting the blood wash itself off in the rain, just as the body smacked against the wet dirt. He looked down at the woman that he had seen just a few days before.  
  
He sheathed his sword. What a shame it is, to see a young life so wasted. Still, he had to call someone to clean this up. It would shake up the town to see a maimed body, a woman no less..........  
  
Suddenly, she coughed up blood, mumbling to herself, "Daddy....."  
  
He faced her body, ignoring her bloodied..... parts showing.  
  
Tears came down from her closed eyes, her head rolling closer to her shoulder "..da.......daddy....."  
  
Goro sighed. He couldn't leave her here. Not like this. He thought there had been sick things in the Revolution, but yet again man has proven him wrong. He unwounded the bola around her ankles, allowing the tattered skin around her ankles to breathe. He quickly flipped her skirt over her legs, and looked at her again before touching her.  
  
Her shoulder seemed too far right to be on correctly. Goro took off his jacket, and wrapped it around her, took keep her arms close to her body. Gently, he bent down, and lifted her.  
  
She was tall, for a woman.  
  
He looked back up at the raining sky. The last time he had was when he thought he would kill himself. Yet, here he was. Saving some other life.  
  
He sighed, and carried her to a hospital. 


	3. The Second Confrontation

**Pechan owns nothing Ruruoni Kenshin like.  
  
~ The Second Confrontation ~  
  
~~At the hospital~~  
  
Goro smoked in the waiting room. He'd never really been one to leave business unfinished, and wondered if the girl would live, or if she had lost too much blood. He was leaning against a large piano. The doctor's uncle had passed away, and left the piano for his nephew. No one really plays it, but a foreign object sure made the room look more exotic. To some extent.  
  
A man came out, "Ah! Fujita. The victim you brought in will live."  
  
He smiled politely, "Well, that's a relief. I'd hate to tell her father that his daughter was raped and killed."  
  
Doctor Gisen nodded, "Yes, you seem to see more of those, these days. These peaceful days of the Meiji didn't seem to help Kyoto much, did it? Maybe I'll move to Tokyo, I hear it's a lot quieter there....."  
  
Goro took a drag from his cigarette. "How is her condition, anyways?"  
  
"Well, I'd say she sure is strong. Her shoulder will be fine, I suggest she doesn't use it for a month. Her ankles will heal, skin always heals, but...... her.... well, her umm, womanhood."  
  
"The man responsible for attacking her cut her up a bit."  
  
Gisen nodded, "Yes, I'm afraid.... that's going to take some more healing."  
  
"I'd say a good two months before she can walk with minor pain."  
  
"Actually, I'm more worried about her emotional state. Most women commit suicide after their innocence is broken. It's all they can have for marriage, you know."  
  
Goro crushed his cigarette, "She didn't lose anything tonight, Gisen."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
Goro shrugged, "Her sanity, maybe. But, I stopped anything from..... happening."  
  
"Ah, thank you, Fujita. I'd hate to see another woman go like that again."  
  
Goro nodded, "Is she awake?"  
  
"Oh, yes! Would you like to speak to her?"  
  
Goro reached for another cigarette, thinking it was late, and maybe he should be going home. That's what he was doing. That girl just happened to be there. He just happened to be there.  
  
**Would you rather you went home without helping her?**  
  
He shrugged, "Well, it wouldn't hurt."  
  
Gisen lead him to the room in the back, and held open the door. The woman was sitting in bed, watching the rain patter against the window. Her arm was in a sling, and she had one hand unconsciously clutching her blankets to her stomach. He couldn't see anything of her lower torso or legs.  
  
Gisen bowed, and cheerfully stated, "Young lady! How are you feeling now-"  
  
"My parents died when it was raining, you know....." she muttered.  
  
Gisen sighed, then turned to Goro. "See?"  
  
Goro smiled at him, "Maybe I can talk some sense to her."  
  
Gisen crossed his arms, "I hope so. I don't want to see this one come back to me in a burial shroud." He bowed to Fujita, then left the room as a patient called out in pain.  
  
Goro looked at the woman, looking out the window. He coughed into his hand, "I trust you're feeling better?"  
  
She turned her head slowly to him. She looked him up and down. "Oh sh!t." she said flatly.  
  
He smiled, "I'll say that is a rather different response I get when saving people."  
  
Tokio closed her eyes, burying he face in her knees. "I'm in hell. God, I'm in hell." She moved her eyes to Goro, "And there's police in it."  
  
Goro leaned against the wall. "Well, I guess you could say that. Man is damned forever, as the Christians say."  
  
She continued to hide her face in her legs.  
  
"At least he didn't attack your face."  
  
She said nothing still.  
  
He crossed his arms, "Look, I'm not big for conversation. I'm trying my hardest, alright?"  
  
Tokio sagged her shoulders. **God, now it's talking to me....**  
  
"I notice you get considerably unhappy when I'm around. Do I know you from somewhere?"  
  
Tokio thought for a moment. **Okay, if you want this to go as planned, play the part...**  
  
She sighed, lifting her chin, placing it on top of her knees, "No. I just have..... well, men rub me the wrong way."  
  
He nodded, "Understandably so. Well, I hope you won't shun every man you see Miss."  
  
"Why, are most good like you?" she pouted, brows furrowed.  
  
Goro smiled at her, "And aren't YOU just charming?"  
  
She sighed, looking out at the rain. "......... yeah well.. thank you."  
  
"Hnh. You're welcome."  
  
After a few more minutes of falling rain, Tokio asked, "So! Live anywhere?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"I do not give my address to every stranger I meet."  
  
Tokio nodded, "Me too."  
  
Goro leaned off the wall, "Well, I am sorry, but I must be getting home now."  
  
**Uh oh. Losing the target!!**  
  
Tokio gasped, "Wait you can't!!"  
  
Goro smiled politely, "Excuse me, Miss?"  
  
"What if something happens to me?"  
  
".... such as?"  
  
"What if they come back for me?"  
  
He put his hands in his pockets. "You're a smart girl. Run to the police."  
  
Goro turned away, as Tokio swung her legs over the bed, "Nnnggk, wait!"  
  
He turned. When she tried to get up from the bed, she must had hurt herself. He saw her with her knees pulled up to her chest, teeth clenched, eyes squeezed shut, as she tried not to scream. Her ankles had been wrapped in gauze. There were bandages around her hips, and her.........  
  
"Now really, you shouldn't be walking. You're condition seems rather painful," he reprimanded.  
  
Tokio groaned, and slowly pulled her blanket to cover her wound again. "You're telling me. Will I see you again?"  
  
Goro shrugged, "I work a lot, Miss, I rarely get out of my way to save damsels in distress."  
  
Tokio sighed, "But.... but please?"  
  
"Please what?"  
  
"I haven't thanked you yet!"  
  
"That is quite alright."  
  
"I'll make you soba!! Plain, hot? Right? The way you like it!"  
  
Goro closed his eyes, smiling, "That's very considerate of you, but-"  
  
"Oh dammit, take the offer!! I'm rarely this nice!!" Tokio caught herself, and clamped a hand over her mouth, "U-Uh, I mean ..... umm, please?"  
  
Goro stared at her, then shrugged, "If I have a day off, I'll pass by the hospital. And I advise you not to make me any soba. You shouldn't move that arm of yours."  
  
Tokio nodded, "Will do!!"  
  
Goro opened the door, letting yellow lamplight from the halls stream in.  
  
"Wait!!"  
  
Goro turned, "What now?"  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"Goro Fujita."  
  
Tokio cocked her head, "Fujita? Are you sure?"  
  
He nodded, smiling, "Well, I distinctly remember my parents calling me that."  
  
Tokio frowned. **Wait, that name isn't right.....**  
  
"And yours, Miss?"  
  
"Uh?"  
  
"Do you have name?"  
  
She gulped. "It's Tokio."  
  
"Tokio?"  
  
"Yes, I know, as in the city."  
  
He smiled, "Just checking. Do you have a last name?"  
  
She frowned. "No."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"You'll do a background check on me!!"  
  
Goro smirked, "Would I now?"  
  
"All police do."  
  
He shrugged, "Okay then, I won't ask anymore."  
  
He closed the door, and his footstep died away. Tokio frowned.  
  
There wasn't a Fujita in the 3rd Squad of the Shinsengumi!! Oh, but he looked just like him!! Did her info come out wrong? Or was his identity changed?  
  
~~Outside in the hall, walking home, Saito frowned. She looked familiar. He couldn't place where...... 


	4. Healing, A Little

**Pechan didn't create the Rurouni Kenshin Characters.  
  
~ Healing, A Little ~  
  
~~ Days later~~  
  
"Ah! Fujita! How are you?"  
  
Fujita bowed to the Gisen. "Very well. And you?"  
  
"Oh, the usual patients, you know. Business is the same as ever. Did you want to check up on the tall lady?"  
  
Goro nodded, removing his hat, "I told her I would."  
  
Gisen lead him to the room, and opened the door.  
  
Goro peered inside, and found a pile of paper cranes littering the floor and bed. In the midst of paper, there sat the woman Tokio. She sat cross legged, and she had her slung arm folding a crane with just her fingers, and her other good arm.  
  
Goro stepped inside. There were fresh bandages wrapped around her hips and between her hips, and the gauze around her ankles had already been removed. There were a few red lines scabbing on her ankles.  
  
She lifted her emerald eyes to him. Her lips twitched, and then became a smile. "Oh, it's you!"  
  
Goro stepped around a paper crane. "I see you're making good use of your time, Miss."  
  
She sighed, "Tell me about it. I'm bored outta my mind here," she looked back down at her crane, "but, the doctor says I'll be outta here in a week."  
  
Goro nodded, and leaned against the wall. "Tokio, do you know the name of the man that assaulted you?"  
  
"Gichi." She replied, tossing away her crane. She reached for another piece of paper.  
  
"Does Gichi have a last name?"  
  
"..... I'm not sure. His uncle's was Watanabe. I think his might have been Ikuta. Why? Is he filing a lawsuit at me for assault?"  
  
Goro smiled, "No, I'm afraid your friend has passed on."  
  
Tokio dropped her paper, and stared at him. "You killed him."  
  
He stuck a cigarette in his mouth, "Would you rather I let him finish his business with you and arrest him?" He struck his match against the wall, and lit his cigarette.  
  
Tokio looked away, "Well, I'm sure you didn't have to kill him....."  
  
"He would have gotten the death sentence anyways if I had apprehended him. We found opium on his body."  
  
Tokio shrugged, picking up her half finished crane that she dropped, "Yeah?"  
  
"Would you happen to know of any other men that friends of Gichi?"  
  
Tokio nodded, "Sure can." He glanced up at him, "I never forget a face."  
  
"Very good. Can you walk, Miss?"  
  
Tokio looked up at him, "Why?"  
  
Goro placed his hat upon his head, "The police have arrested twenty six men after the death of Gichi, all we have assumed to have been accomplices in his... crimes. After his death, it appears all his threats died with him, and several women confessed they had been accosted by him and his men too."  
  
She put down her crane.  
  
"It would help if you can identify some of the men you saw before you were injured."  
  
Tokio looked away, biting her lip.  
  
"Unless of course, if you are not well....."  
  
Tokio shook her head, looking at him. "No, I mean, yeah. Yeah, fine. I mean, I'll try."  
  
She cautiously dipped her feet out of the bed, onto the floor. She winced with every move, until she was standing.  
  
Goro couldn't help but smirk, and say, "Stings?"  
  
She frowned at him, "Knock it off, I'm recovering from surgery."  
  
"Surgery?"  
  
"Yeah. And I sure as hell hope you're paying for this, cause I don't have the money for this."  
  
He shrugged, "That is too bad."  
  
She took a step, and as her toes landed, her good hand instantly went to her crotch, as she held gasped in sharp pain.  
  
Instantly, she felt his hands on her shoulders, " Okay, obviously this wasn't a good idea-"  
  
*He was too close.*  
  
Instinctively, she shoved his arms away, falling back into her bed. She breathed heavy.  
  
**Those hands stained in blood.....**  
  
He raised his brows to her, then asked politely, "Did I hurt you, Miss?"  
  
Tokio sighed, and sat up, "N-No..... guess it hurt more than I thought....."  
  
Goro nodded, "I understand. I'll just see how you are in a week or so."  
  
"What'll happen to those men?"  
  
"They'll just make themselves at home in jail while you're healing, Miss."  
  
He tripped his cap to her, bowing a bit, and smiled, "Good day." And left.  
  
Tokio rubbed the spot where his gloved fingers had touched her, as if the spot burned.  
  
~~ Days Later~~  
  
Fujita entered the hospital, finding several of the patients, and the doctors and nurses, gather around the piano. And Goro heard the beautiful notes of the piano.  
  
The player seemed very accomplished. The music swelled when the notes rose in pitch, and echoed softly as the music appeared to die. Arpeggios flowed slow, lulling legatos, and eventually the melody decided on a gentle, slow pace. It kept steady rhythm, like a heart beat, and Goro found it to be as peaceful as raindrops.  
  
Fujita came around and found that Tokio girl at the seat. Her long, slender fingers curved delicately over the keys as they danced across the ivory. Tokio's eyes were closed, and her lips were rouged, and she held her chin high. Her hair was tied into a sleek ponytail, and with her face at ease with the music, Goro somehow found the picture very relaxing. He couldn't believe such a brash young girl could produce such music.  
  
Gradually, the gentle pulse of the music slowed down, and finally, a triplet ended the ballad.  
  
Gisen clapped, "That was wonderful, Miss Tokio! Where did you learn to play on a piano? They're very expensive!"  
  
Tokio smiled to him, rubbing her neck, "My father used to have one."  
  
"He must have had a very good job, then!"  
  
Tokio nodded, "Uh huh."  
  
Goro spoke up, "Very nice, Miss Tokio."  
  
Tokio turned, glaring at him.  
  
"Yare yare..... now she's angry again."  
  
Tokio shrugged and closed the id on the piano. "So, I'm supposed to finger the suspects now?"  
  
"Unless you still feel slightly ill." Goro nodded to her arm, "I see you can move it now."  
  
"Oh yes, it wasn't broken after all. Just sprained. Her ankles are all better, and she's healing...." Gisen looked at her hips, "..... progressively."  
  
Tokio looked away, "Embarrassing....." she mumbled, turning red.  
  
Goro nodded, "Then, if I may? She is allowed to walk around, is she?"  
  
"Well, I wouldn't recommend it, but if she doesn't do anything drastic like, like running or jumping, she'll be fine."  
  
"I can assure you, she will not have to do so much as walk and talk."  
  
Gisen grinned, "Good. Miss Tokio? Can you stand again?"  
  
Tokio slowly placed her hands on the board, and stood. She took small, delicate steps, cautious of causing pain to herself again. Goro saw this, and called for the policeman behind him, "Kito, assist Miss Tokio."  
  
"Huh? Hey wait, I can-OH!" Kito placed his hand on her shoulders.  
  
Kito nodded, "Don't worry, I'll just catch you if you fall."  
  
Tokio blew a lock of hair from her face, "Geez, the police always this friendly?"  
  
Goro smiled, "Only to key suspects."  
  
~~Later On~~  
  
When they got to the police station, Goro had led her to the hail cells. There, were all the faces that had been following her home that night. After walking up the isle once, she announced, "Yep. They're guilty."  
  
Instantly a chorus of robust and rude comments sprang forth from the cells.  
  
"She's f-ckin' lyin'!! We didn't do nothin'!!"  
  
"Lousy b!tch just wants to get paid, is what she wants-"  
  
"-KILL YOU, I'LL KILL YOU WHEN I GET OUT-"  
  
"Lady, I swear, I'd never-"  
  
"-Gichi was nuts, he threatened to kill us-"  
  
"-didn't do it-"  
  
"-Please, don't kill-"  
  
"-IN HELL, BURN IN HELL-"  
  
"STUPID B!TCH!! I'LL KILL-"  
  
"-PLEASE, MERCY!!"  
  
And on and on it went. Tokio glared at them, "Yeah? You and what army?"  
  
Goro turned to his assistant, "Move them to the execution rows."  
  
"Sir, they're guilty? Are you sure they're yakuza?"  
  
"Before Miss Tokio came here to testify, a few other reliable people came over confessing that they were threatened to keep their silence. Now that the leader's gone, the whole pack crumbles."  
  
He walked out of the room, hearing tokio kick one of their bars, "PIPE DOWN, IDIOT!!"  
  
He smirked. **She sure has no problem healing.**  
  
~~ Ten Minutes after Fujita sat in his desk in his office~~  
  
"Fujita!!"  
  
Goro looked up from his desk, smoking, "What is it?"  
  
A policeman came to him, "That woman that had pointed out the criminals, she....."  
  
Goro stood, "Yes? Did she pass out?"  
  
The policeman nodded furiously, "Yes, we had to send for the doctors, and they're here."  
  
"Doctors?"  
  
"Her......her legs!! There was blood-"  
  
"Dammit," Goro muttered, stubbing his cigarette. He flowed the policeman. A group of policemen were huddled around Tokio, as she lay unconscious on the ground. She was bleeding profusely under her skirt, and her eyelids were fluttering.  
  
A gray haired doctor stood, "Good Evening, Mr. Fujita. This young woman here-"  
  
"Yes, she's bleeding. Will it stop?"  
  
"As far as I can tell, no, I can't seem to make it stop."  
  
Goro nodded. He turned to the policeman that had called him in, "Call for Gisen. She's his patient.  
  
~ And in just a matter of minutes.....  
  
"This is what happens when the young lady doesn't stay in bed when she's sick," Gisen mumbled, closing Tokio's legs. "What exactly happened here?"  
  
"As we led one of the criminals away, one lunged for her. He was going to strike her, but she kicked him in the face. Pretty high kick, I should say. Anyways, I uhh, think she broke something...." explained one of the officers.  
  
"Do we move her?" asked a young man.  
  
"I wouldn't advise it. But, she must be returned to the hospital, so, one of you carry her."  
  
"Me?" asked the policeman.  
  
Gisen nodded, "Yes, you. Now, hurry. She's breathing rather too hard for normal." He pressed his fingers against her forehead, "Poor thing."  
  
"Why can't you get someone else?"  
  
"Does it matter who?" Gisen stood, "I have a really bad back. Now, someone please help this woman or she could very well die in the police station."  
  
A shorter policeman chuckled, "Great and won't that look good for our reputation?"  
  
He knelt, and scooped her up in his arms. Goro watched her wince.  
  
"Careful. She's very delicate," he called out.  
  
"Shut up, Fujita, not like I can hit you all the way from her!" she snapped, eyes closed, and she groaned again.  
  
For some reason, Goro felt a smile coming to his lips, as he turned away. 


	5. Rice Farming Lessons

**Pechan still doesn't have any Rurouni Kenshin things.  
  
~ Rice Farming Lessons~  
  
~~ A few months later~~  
  
Tokio sat looking into the sky. The clouds had swirled into beautiful shapes, and Tokio had thought she had seen a duck in one of them.............  
  
"Girl, quit daydreaming and get your butt in gear!!"  
  
Tokio bowed to the old woman yelling at her, "Oh, so sorry Minami!! Thought I saw a duck......."  
  
Minami laughed, a deep throaty laugh, "Ahh, I hear you, girl. When I was young, I always thought work wasn't for me and I should just be living my life as a, I don't know...... spiritualist or something. You know?"  
  
Tokio smiled, bending over to plant more sprouts of rice. "Yeah, I hear you."  
  
Minami walked next to here, slightly wading through the muddy fields of rice. "Well, tell me! Why choose this job? You're obviously not cut out for it."  
  
Tokio stood up straight, "What do you mean?"  
  
"Oh, you're work hard, but you shouldn't."  
  
"Ummmm... care to elaborate?"  
  
"See? That's what I mean. You're words are so big."  
  
"Are not, Minami," Tokio giggled.  
  
The elderly farmer lady laughed, taking Tokio's hand. "Look. Not a single callous on them. Obviously, you never had to prepare your own meals, lift your own carts, or stuff such as the like."  
  
Tokio sighed, wiping her face, causing a streak of mud to wipe on her cheek. Her black hair was scooped into a handkerchief around her head, and her pants were tied above her knees so they wouldn't drag so much in the mud. Her pale skin seemed a stark contrast to the black mud, and even though she didn't wear make up when she worked on the fields, her lips were forever tinged red, because she used to stuff so damn much...........  
  
Minami, on the other hand, was a dark, wrinkly skinned little old lady. Her hands were rough like sandpaper, and her back had a hunch from naturally bending over planting rice. Her skin matched the mud, and her eyes were dulled over a bit.  
  
Minami smiled, "Even with these bad eyes of mine, and those poor clothes I let you wear, and that mud all over you, you certainly do not look like a farmer."  
  
Tokio sighed, "I'm that obvious?"  
  
Minami's eye glinted, "Only to those who can spot runaways. I was one myself."  
  
Tokio smiled, bending to plant another line of rice, "Oh yeah?"  
  
"Yes. My father was forcing me into a marriage I didn't want. Well, you know, I met this boy I really liked, but my father didn't approve of him at all. Instead, he tried to hook me up with one of his friends."  
  
Tokio plunged her hands into the water, planting, "So? Just say no."  
  
"Only if it were that easy. If I said no, my father would have said I was a disgrace. So, I left."  
  
"To plant rice? I think marriage would've been easier."  
  
Minami laughed, "Ah, yes, it is easy to submit. But I prefer freedom, no matter how feeble it may seem. Wouldn't you agree?"  
  
Tokio smiled at her, really smiling, "Yeah, I think I do............."  
  
"Excuse me, ma'am," called a familiar voice.  
  
Tokio twisted her head, and found Fujita at the road. He had his arms in his pockets. Two other police men were behind him. Probably waiting to receive orders. She frowned at him.  
  
Minami smiled, "Ah, Mr. Fujita!! Just the young man I was looking for....."  
  
Minami waddled over to him. Tokio thought about finishing her work, but then dropped her plants and walked over as well.  
  
"Would you mind if the two men here searched your house, Miss Minami?"  
  
Minami nodded, "Oh, go right ahead."  
  
Tokio frowned, "What's going here?"  
  
"Nice to see you too. Miss Tokio."  
  
Minami smiled, "Ah, you know this girl? She's quite different, I should say. Very fun to talk to! Maybe you should hook up with her," she nudged Tokio, "Eh? Don't you think it'd be a waste if you turned into an old maid like me?"  
  
Tokio blushed, "M-Minami!! Don't say such awful things like that!!"  
  
"Oh, I'm only suggesting dear......"  
  
Goro smirked, and folded his arms, "For the past week there have been a few convicts trying to exit Kyoto. Minami's farm is known for harboring travelers."  
  
"Are you accusing her of holding criminals?" asked Tokio.  
  
Minami shook her head, "Oh no, sweetheart, my eyes are very bad. I might have accidentally given them a room, or something."  
  
"Hey, I didn't know you gave rooms! Why didn't I get one?"  
  
"You never asked."  
  
Tokio fell over, grumbling to herself.  
  
Goro eyed her up and down. "Nice make up. Very becoming of you."  
  
Tokio wiped the mud off her cheek. But, it had already dried and caked up, so she turned away, scraping at it.  
  
"Fujita!"  
  
Goro turned his head.  
  
The fat officer was holding a young man buy the scruff of his neck, "I didn't find the guys, but this child here had a sword!!"  
  
The kid reached for it, but the cop held it out of his reach. The boy snarled, "GIVE IT BACK!!"  
  
Goro walked over, "Young man, what do you think you're doing with that?"  
  
"It's for self defense!!"  
  
Just then, the other cop came around the house. "It's all clean. Juts some other migrant workers."  
  
Goro nodded, "Well now. Yamada, let me see the sword."  
  
Yamada tossed it to him, and Goro caught it in the air with one hand.  
  
The boy jerked against his captor," Hey, don't!!"  
  
Goro slid out the blade, revealing a broken blade. Only a shattered 3rd of the blade was still intact. Yamada scoffed, "What the..... is that your all worried about? That flimsy piece of junk?"  
  
The kid kept his eyes on the sheath, but muttered, "Y-Yeah....."  
  
Goro looked at him, and then tipped over the sheath. Out poured a small, but large enough stream of gold ryo. (later counted forty six)  
  
He placed the sword back in it's sheathe, then tossed it to the boy's feet. "Did you happen to pick up this spare change on your way here?"  
  
"It was an inheritance!! My grandfather left it in his will!!"  
  
"Why aren't your parents holding onto it?"  
  
The boy said nothing.  
  
The other officer spoke, "Hey, answer us kid!"  
  
"Quiet, Take." Goro looked back at the boy, "You do realize, since this is such a high amount, your theft sentence will be carried longer than the usual few months."  
  
Tokio narrowed her eyes, recognizing the money, "Hey, Fiji!! Just what the hell so you think you're doing!? That's....."  
  
Fiji looked up at her, panicked. Tokio was going to kick herself in the head for this later, she just let it slip!!  
  
Yamada glanced at her, "Ma'am? Do you know this boy?"  
  
Tokio bit her lip, "Sorta.... kinda... maybe?"  
  
"Come on, let me go!!" pleaded Fiji.  
  
"Miss Tokio, do you know where this money came from?"  
  
Tokio frowned at the wolf, and then sighed. "Yeah. It's Minami's savings."  
  
Yamada growled, "Scoundrel....."  
  
Fiji kicked, "Come on!! I'm poor! I need to pay off a few family debs, alright?!!"  
  
Minami sighed, "Ah, I see. Well, if you need it young man, you may keep it."  
  
Made looked at the old woman, "M-Ma'am? He just stole-"  
  
"Yes, I see what he stole. But, I didn't even know I had it. Plus, I do not need it. Besides, I'm old, I could wake up dead tomorrow. Let the young man keep it. He'd better it to better use than me."  
  
Goro uncrossed his arms, "You drop all charges?"  
  
Minami nodded, "So long as he stays off my property from here on in, yes. But next time I see his face, I'll alert the police. Come Tokio, we need to finish with the rest of the rice......."  
  
Minami turned away, seemingly through with the matter. Tokio fixed her head band, tucking in a lock of black hair that had escaped.  
  
"......what are you here for? I thought you were the deputy sheriff or something back at the police station."  
  
Goro placed his cap back on, "We were looking for a pair of murderers, but they're not here. They carry weapons, so be careful in the fields."  
  
"Why would they pass through here?"  
  
"It's one of the easiest was out, Miss Minami is known for taking anyone in," Goro looked down at her, "In any case, do be careful, Miss Tokio."  
  
Tokio felt a strange warmth rush all over her. He was very good at sounding concerned. Well, big deal, so can she. She smiled, "Sure. I'll see you around."  
  
She splashed back into the water, and followed after Minami. She picked up her load, and stooped with her, planting it in fine, straight rows..........  
  
Yamada fixed his hat, "She's quite a looker for some farm girl."  
  
Take smirked, "You mean Minami?"  
  
Yamada laughed.  
  
"Hey, where did you find her, Goro? Does she have any sisters?"  
  
Goro turned away, watching the young Fiji run away with his money. ".... No, she's just some poor lonely girl. Probably lonely because of that temper-"  
  
Tokio turned, and growled, "I CAN HEAR YOU!!"  
  
Yamada bowed, "Ah, so sorry ma'am!!"  
  
Take walked down the road, following Goro, "Feisty, like I like it."  
  
"You'd settle for anything-"  
  
"Ah, shaddap."  
  
Goro lit a cigarette, and walked down the road, tuning out their bickering for the remainder of the journey.  
  
~~In the Evening~~  
  
After Tokio had finished planting, she came to Minami's room.  
  
"Oh? Is there something you need, Tokio?"  
  
Tokio placed her hand on Minami's shoulder, "Minami, you've been good to me, but I must get going."  
  
"Really? Too bad. I liked talking to you."  
  
"Yeah me too."  
  
"Can you tell me why?"  
  
Tokio stared at her for a long time, then whispered, "When I was little, my family was devoured by a pack of wolves."  
  
Minami looked up at her, "Huh? Child are you-"  
  
"I'm sorry, but I really needed to make some money, and I did, and I have to get back to some very urgent business."  
  
Minami nodded, "Ah, I understand. Revenge. Well, I hope your plan doesn't fall back and hit you smack in the face, my girl."  
  
Tokio smiled, "Good bye, Minami. I'll see you around sometime."  
  
"Oh, don't bother coming back for a dying old lady like me. Go visit Tokyo, or better yet, somewhere over the seas. Then tell me about it at my grave, alright? Ha!"  
  
Tokio nodded, and left the room after saying many good byes.  
  
She felt bad. She stole at least thirty ryo from Fiji, after he stole it from Minami.  
  
Hey, it's a dog eat dog world.  
  
~~Later, When Tokio Returned Home~~  
  
Tokio sat down in her single-room house. She had written down all things she knew of Goro Fujita:  
  
'As far as his story was concerned, he was just some police official from Tama. He was in his mid twenties, and no known family seems present in his life. I wouldn't be surprised if he left his family for the Shinsengumi, or if they were killed themselves.'  
  
'Killed themselves? In that case, maybe he had reasons of revenge for himself.....'  
  
Tokio chewed on her brush, then shrugged. "Who cares what his motif was......?"  
  
She scrawled down some more: 'People know him as a friendly, dutiful, and respectful man. He is polite and courteous to those in need of the police's assistance. He never manages to say the wrong things, and can get out of most situations by negotiating. '  
  
'He only carries one weapon, and I've never seen him use it. But, he is not off guard. I can see his eyes, always watching. And he can hear things from great distances away. I bet he can even smell my fear when I'm around him, or my hatred. Perhaps that's why he doesn't pry into my life like he usually does in his friendly way. He is the only police member that does not carry a saber, he uses the traditional katana. The only real blades. Was it his same katana from the revolution.....?'  
  
Tokio took another sheet of paper, and continued writing:  
  
'I've never seen him use it, though, but I am certain that Goro Fujita is the same wolf that killed my parents. After much probing and searching, I found out the leader of the third squad Shinsengumi's name is Saito. I do not know his first name yet, but it's not really important right now. According to his dossiers back then and dossiers now, the only thing that's changed in his appearance is that he had cut his hair. That, and he smiles more often.'  
  
Tokio tapped her brush, thinking hard. Then wrote: 'As far as anyone knows, he's just a regular police man. Assistant inspector at that. Citizens obey him, and respect him just the same way he treats them, with professional care and compassion. He's polite to everyone, even the prisoners. And people are relieved if he's nearby. But he's never even drawn his sword.'  
  
Tokio frowned, sighing, "So basically what I got here is some corn-fed white guy. (pardon the expression. It makes no sense back then, but you all know the expression means a perfect guy) Just great. How can I kill him?"  
  
'Ever since my parents were murdered, I have not seen him draw his sword. But the night I was.....'  
  
Tokio unconsciously reached down to her wound.....  
  
'..... attacked, he said he had killed the men that did it to me. I saw the bodies before they burned them, he had sliced both neatly in half. Even if they're unskilled, they shouldn't have caused much trouble for Saito. A stab into the chest would've finished them right off. So why the elaborate kill?'  
  
Tokio thought, then mumbled, "Maybe he was bored.....?"  
  
'He works usually all day, I've never seen him out of uniform. I've got an address to his house, so I'm going to try and sneak in later. I wonder if he'd kill me. Perhaps back then, he might have, but he's changed.'  
  
Tokio stopped, realizing what she was writing.  
  
Changed?  
  
She frowned, who cares if he was? To me, he's still the same bastard that slew my family. Well technically just my father. But still...........  
  
Tokio scribbled: 'I WILL go to his house. I'm going to know everything about him. Maybe I'll even get close to him. If I do that, maybe he could let his guard down. Just for a second. And I'll only have one chance, but it'll be worth it. Risking my life to kill the wolf that had killed the only man who ever loved me...'  
  
Father.....  
  
'..... it'll be worth it and more.'  
  
Tokio blew out the lamp she was using, and laid down her brush. She read the paper once, and twice. Then, she lay down in bed, sighing. She looked up at the ceiling in her tiny apartment.  
  
She looked at the corner of the room, where there was a European style clock. She had a pocket watch too, but she usually left it at home.  
  
Her father was always buying elaborate gifts for his family. He found foreign things to be very exotic. Maybe that's why Tokio found it that way too. He said he was even going to name her a funny name, something like 'An- je-ra' but her mother said too many children would poke fun at it. Tokio could see why, even she would kick her own but from such an embarrassing name.  
  
Finally, her comforting thoughts were put to rest, as she fell asleep. 


	6. Trains and X's

**Pechan is starting to get sick of righting disclaimers, since everyone knows she never invented the Rurouni characters.  
  
~ Trains and X's ~  
  
~~ Next morning~~  
  
After a bath, Tokio had swept up her hair into an elegant knot, and stuck an ivory pin in it. She painted her lips red, and dressed in a dark blue kimono. Personally, she liked dark blue a lot. It reminded her of the ocean. She carried some money with her, and set off into town.  
  
Lately, she had found herself stalling. Why was that? She found the guy. Here he was. All she needed now was to strike.  
  
But by herself won't work at all. She could just die. And after a good night's sleep, Tokio had resolved a life threatening risk too much. She noticed the sun was still kind of rising, since most of eh sky was still dark. She liked it like this. It was so quite.......  
  
FWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!  
  
Except for the police whistle, she thought with a grumble.  
  
"Halt!!"  
  
Tokio turned. Damn, she had rotten luck with police. But instead, they were chasing a fiery red haired man. He wore a magenta top, and he seemed to be exhausted. He had a sword at his side. He made a weird, 'oro'ing noise.  
  
Ah, he must be getting chased because of his sword.  
  
Tokio squinted into the distance at him, catching in a single moment a glimpse of his face. She nearly had to take a double take, she thought it was a woman. But his voice was slightly a few notches below female. Plus, there were two scars into his cheek. Obviously this guy had it rough. It was best for her not to interfere.  
  
Well, it was really none of her business, so she stepped out of the way.  
  
"Halt, dammit!!" panted the winded out police man. Tokio kept walking, and finally, the cop gave up, bending over, panting.  
  
Tokio bowed over, and looked at him, "Oh, Hello Take!! Whatcha' doing?"  
  
Take wheezed, "T-Tried to.. get the.... the guy....."  
  
Tokio patted his back, "Aww, better luck next time!"  
  
And she continued on. She came to a shrine, and threw in a coin. She clasped her hands, and prayed. She usually did not, but she made it a point to do it now and then. To pray for her family, and tell them how things were going. She could almost imagine in her mind, what it would be like. She would tell them she was going to kill the man who murdered them. Her father would grin, and hug her, praising her for her ambitions. Her mother would bow her head, mumbling young girls shouldn't have such thoughts. And her sisters would just be giggling like idiots over some nonsense today she had missed out on.  
  
Tokio opened her eyes, sighing. Well, retribution would come soon, she can vouch for that. In the end, the wolf will get what he deserves.  
  
"Good morning, Miss Tokio."  
  
She turned, and saw a man setting up a booth. She smiled, "Ah, hello Yoshida. How's business?"  
  
"Fine fine. And of you? You were gone for quite sometime. About two years, I think."  
  
Tokio walked over to him. "Well, to be honest, I left for a year. But I came back. I've just been doing odd jobs and the sort."  
  
"Seriously. I heard of the hell you raised at that restaurant."  
  
She crossed her arms, "Oh please, Gichi was so asking for it....."  
  
Yoshida chuckled, and placed a clean cloth over his booth, with the words MOCHI on it.  
  
Tokio's stomach growled, "Say, when do you start cooking those things?"  
  
"I start when I see more people come out. Why, are you that hungry?"  
  
Tokio blushed, "Ah, no. I won't trouble you. I'll just come back later."  
  
"Ah, then we can catch up on old time-"  
  
"Actually Yoshi, I've been busy."  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot, that's why you left in the first place."  
  
She sighed, bowing her head, "Look, I know I keep apologizing, but, it wasn't your fault, I just couldn't-"  
  
"I know, Tokio. It couldn't be helped. You were just busy. You're a busy girl. I perfectly understand. I'm a busy guy myself." He chuckled.  
  
"Yeah, but you always made time for me."  
  
He grinned, "So I did. Listen, quit beating yourself over the head for it. What's past is past. Besides, it was like two years ago. Who cares?"  
  
"Yeah, who cares?" she giggled. She sighed, turning and waving, "Well, see ya around. Maybe for lunch."  
  
"I'm gonna hold you to that!!" he grinned.  
  
She smiled, waving. Then she turned, and kept walking down the street. The sun was out now. Some more people had come out of their houses, and slowly, the noise was rising. She passed by the police station, and looked at it's doors. No doubt he would be there now. She gulped, and continued.  
  
Tokio had given the rest of the day to herself off. She was tired from doing so much research and brown nosing. It was kind of exhausting. Plus, every time she pried deeper, she got into some kind of trouble. So today, she was just going to take it easy. Maybe she'd even talk to him.  
  
She hated to admit, but she was kind of impressed. His Goro Fujita routine nearly fooled her. She couldn't believe how nice he could be. Walking down the road, she began to think of where to go. It's been a while since she lived here. She had mostly been traveling everywhere after she became an assassin. She was..... well, sort of afraid. She wanted to bide her time fro revenge. But, during her life..... as she got used to wandering, her mind wandered. And she had been putting it off and off. Then one morning, she realized how ridiculous it sounded. She had spent a good four years of training , and now after a year of wandering, she'll just forget about revenge? Screw that!! She never really did things half @$$ed, and she wasn't going to start now. Besides, didn't she set her whole life on this? This one revenge? Otherwise, what kind of legacy would she have? What would make her insignificant life any better? She had to do this. It was only fair. Her whole family in trade fro on man's life. Isn't that enough?  
  
She sighed, her hands behind her back. This was getting complicated. Five years ago, this was such a good idea. She would've wanted nothing more than to see his throat split, and to see that crimson spurt into the air. Like red fireworks. And yet.....  
  
She glanced at a policeman talking to one of his buddies rolling a cart. It reminded her of him. How now..... he had become something else. Now, he is Goro Fujita, a respectable man, who would never do anything out of place, illegal, or immoral. That included killing people. Oh wait, he said he did.....  
  
**But it was to save her.........**  
  
She kicked a stone, Ah, who cares? He's a bastard. Why should she feel any better he saved her life?  
  
A second time. He saved you as a child, before the other wolf could strike, remember?  
  
She stopped walking. **That is true...... but......**  
  
She frowned, and started walking again, rather fast. So what if he did? He's still killed my father!!  
  
Sighing, and stopped again, hands on hips. She hated her conscious. It always made her feel dumb. If she didn't know any better, she'd hit her head right now, knocking it unconscious.  
  
She looked around, "Oh great, where am I?" she was so busy thinking, she lost track of where she was going. She heard a train whistle, and turned her head.  
  
Ah, she was at the train station. Oooh, good!! Lots of foreign shops here!! Plenty of cool stuff to buy..... but first, a rest. Her feet hurt from walking so much. She didn't wear the right kind of sandals fro traveling. She walked into the train station. Police men helped people board the trains, and inspected their tickets. There was a rumor that some of the tickets were being counterfeited, so they were being extra careful.  
  
A young boy was sitting in the corner, wearing dirty clothes. His hair was messy, and his face seemed nearly covered in dirt he slept in the corner, and he had a soiled bag with him. Tokio sighed, it was probably his only belongings. A police man came by, and nudged him with his foot. Oh great, was he going to bother the poor kid??  
  
"Hey, Tsuyoshi. I think your train's here, kid."  
  
The boy, Tsuyoshi blinked himself awake. He yawned, and stretched, clenching a ticket tightly in his hands, "Oh, thanks Koji." He slowly stood, picked up his bag, and sauntered to the coming train. Tokio smiled, then looked around, and found a place to sit.  
  
She sat down on a bench, and rested her head against the wall. She had walked all the way to the train station. What now?  
  
There's not much a lonely person can do by herself. She heard a train whistle from far, far away. A wife tugged at her husband's sleeve, urging him to haggle with the ticket price. A child chased away some birds, giggling. A family carried some luggage to a line.  
  
Tokio sighed. God, she felt so lonely. She'd give anything to have someone to talk to and confide into. She had mostly kept to herself. She had many friends, but none knew her real life. She had two boyfriends but she could never stick with them. Right now.... anyone would have been nice to talk to.  
  
"Amazing how we keep bumping into each other like this," came his voice.  
  
Except him. Tokio frowned, and then turned.  
  
Goro Fujita was dressed in his police pants, and wore a white buttoned shirt. He had his jacket over his shoulder. He had on a polite smile, and a sword strapped to his belt. "Are you going somewhere?" he inquired.  
  
"Where were you?"  
  
Goro came over, and sat a foot away from her. He pulled out his cigarettes. "I was at a meeting. I just came back."  
  
"From where?"  
  
"Tama."  
  
He stuck the cigarette in his mouth, and struck a match on the bench. She frowned, "Why do you do that?"  
  
"Hnh?"  
  
"Why do you smoke like that? Who's idea was it to stick a burning wad of paper in your mouth and start sucking?"  
  
He smirked, "You're as charming as ever. Besides, it's a habit. Everyone's got one."  
  
"I don't have a habit."  
  
"Yes you do."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
He puffed his cigarette, "When you're angry, your bottom lip trembles. And your knuckles go white from clenching them so hard."  
  
"So? Everyone does that when they're mad."  
  
"And you cut yourself when you're depressed."  
  
Tokio gasped.  
  
"I'm sure you don't' mean to cut yourself, what I'm pretty sure is that your trying to kill yourself, but you lose your nerve halfway there, am I right?"  
  
Tokio frowned, "Where..... where do you even BEGIN to think you have a right speaking like that to me-"  
  
He bowed his head, "Ah, I am sorry. I was only trying to help," he glanced at her, "See? There goes the lip."  
  
She put her finger on her lip, making it stop, "How is this in any way helping?"  
  
He took another drag from his cigarette. "By making you realize how foolish it is to throw your life away. It really isn't the best way to go."  
  
"Well, all samurai go out that way."  
  
Goro smirked, "And how many samurai are left out there, anyways?"  
  
Tokio looked away, smirking. Well, there's still you, she thought. She looked at him, "Hey.... uhhh..... How did you know I-?  
  
"When you were attacked that night. Your sleeves were rolled down. And although they've healed, there are still a few pink lines left."  
  
She nodded. She watched a train come in, and stop. People poured out, and people streamed in. like a river. The haggling couple finally settled for a middle class ticket, and boarded the train. She shifted her eyes to Goro. He seemed very laid back. He just watched the people, and tapped his cigarette once or twice to shake off the ashes.  
  
Tokio liked foreign looking clothes. She liked wearing the kimonos and all, but .... well, maybe it was her father's influence. Not many Japanese people wore such...... Well, tight could be the word. Such tight clothing was not worn all the time. Only the police really wore it. Though, now some buinsess men wore Western style suits. She's never really seen a woman here in a European dress......  
  
"Hey, where do you get your clothes?"  
  
"Hnh?" he slid his eyes to her.  
  
"I've never seen you wear any yukatas or anything. Are all your clothes like this? Tight, I mean?"  
  
He smiled, "It is a uniform, I have to wear it whether I want to or not."  
  
"Oh..... so, are they?"  
  
"I don't keep many clothes. I'm not vain about that."  
  
She smirked, "So what your saying is that those are your only clothes? Are shoes comfortable? They look really tight to me."  
  
"Once you get used to them, they're fine."  
  
Tokio couldn't believe this. The killer had something interesting to talk about. She was so fascinated by foreign things.....  
  
She coughed into her hand, "What was the business thingy on?"  
  
"Business."  
  
"................ And?"  
  
"And what?"  
  
"What about?"  
  
He stubbed out his cigarette, "Nosy isn't a trait that's becoming of you, Miss Tokio."  
  
She sighed, "Yeah, I hear you. Say, how long were you gone, anyways?"  
  
"A week."  
  
"You think you'll be gone again anytime soon?"  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
"Do you like traveling?"  
  
He turned to her, and then smiled, "You're forgetting you're supposed to hate me, Miss Tokio."  
  
Tokio gasped, "W-What do you mean?"  
  
Goro got up, "Meaning every time I'm around you, you usually stiffen up and get out of your way to put me down. Or something like that. Are you lonely, by any chance?"  
  
Tokio crossed her arms, pouting, "Oh shut up................ Besides, I'm not allowed to talk to you?"  
  
"Talk to me as often as you like, it makes no difference."  
  
She got up, "So you don't care if I do?"  
  
"You didn't care if I did before."  
  
"That's different! It's okay if I don't care, you're supposed to be the one caring about me!!"  
  
Tokio realized what her words said. She meant that he should be careful about her, and not underestimate her, that she will be his stupid downfall. But it came out all wrong! She blushed, looking away, "Ah, sorry, that.. I didn't mean to say that."  
  
He didn't say anything for a while, then smiled, "Well, I thank you for another interesting conversation, Miss Tokio. Please feel free to stop and chat with me if you ever see me off duty."  
  
Tokio was still blushing when he started walking away. "Well, when are you off duty?"  
  
"Today."  
  
She ran behind him, "Really? What do you plan on doing?"  
  
"Sleeping. I haven't had much of it lately."  
  
Tokio stopped, "Oh I see..... Uhhh....."  
  
He kept walking. She got in step with him, "Mind if I walk you home?"  
  
He smiled, "Thank you, but I'm a big boy now. I hardly think I'll get lost or in trouble."  
  
Tokio sighed, "Well, shoot, here I was trying to be nice and all, and you just blow me off as nice as possible. I thought we were friends here."  
  
Friends? That sounded so weird, ESPECIALLY right now!!  
  
He felt the same too. ".....friends?"  
  
Tokio pouted, and turned around, "Or not."  
  
"I see. Your call."  
  
Another train whistle sounded. She watched it come to a screeching halt. More people flooded in and out. She turned, and saw Goro already at the gates, leaving. She gasped, and ran after him shouting, "Hey, Fujita!!" she nearly tripped, but sprang back up, running after him, "Hey, I'M TALKING TO YOU, YOU BIG JERK!!"  
  
"And I heard you." He said, turning. She caught up with him, panting. "You know, you really shouldn't wear yourself out, considering you were injured there."  
  
"Oh, shush, I'm all better now." She felt her hair was coming out of her bun. She sighed, and pulled out her pins, and her black hair framed her face. "So, you live far from here?"  
  
He didn't answer for a while. He just stared at her. After a good five seconds, he smiled, "I live in the heart of the city. It's quite a walk."  
  
"You won't call for a carriage?"  
  
"What's the rush? I have the whole day off."  
  
Tokio sighed, "Ohh, and here I was, thinking I'd get a free ride home with a cop."  
  
"Hnh. So sorry."  
  
"Where are your gloves?"  
  
"In my pocket. Why?"  
  
"I normally don't see you with them off."  
  
"You normally don't see me."  
  
Very true. She clasped her hands, "Well.... uhhh..... sorry?"  
  
She looked around at the stores. She liked this district. It was so full of imported goods!! One sold figures of porcelain and glass, others sold European furniture. She spied a store full of that ..... oh, what was it called?  
  
"Chokorato!!" (Chocolate!!)  
  
Goro looked down at her, "What?"  
  
She tugged his sleeve, "Oh, can we stop here!?! Please? Please?"  
  
He felt quite awkward. Here she was yanking his arm like a little girl begging her dad for some sweets. "Do what you want, I guess."  
  
"Hey, you're not gonna keep walking are you?!"  
  
He sighed, "You expect me to wait here?"  
  
"No, I KNOW you'll wait here. Because your that nice."  
  
He smiled, "I'm hardly a nice guy."  
  
"Please?"  
  
He leaned against the wall, "fine. But don't buy so much. You'll get fat."  
  
She stuck her tongue at him, pulling one of her eyes lids down, "Says you."  
  
She had decided to buy one of each, since they didn't have such a wide selection. She also bought some hard candy. When she came out, she was sucking on something called a..... ummm..... a roripoppu. It was red, and when she had it in her mouth, the white stick stuck out. It looked like a thin cigarette. It tasted like red sugar. But hey told her it was supposed to be strawberries. It tasted nothing of the like but good anyways.  
  
She came up to Goro, roripoppu in mouth, and mumbled, "O'hay, hret's g'ho." (Okay, let's go.)  
  
"You shouldn't speak with you mouth full," he smirked, walking ahead.  
  
She stuck out her tongue at him. "Nyah, meanie."  
  
"And now your tongue is red."  
  
"Hmm?" she stuck out her tongue, and crossed her eyes, "HooWHOA!! OOKI' 'AH'!! YOOK!! YOOK!" (HooWHOA!! LOOKIT THAT, LOOK LOOK!!)  
  
"Yes, I see, now put it back."  
  
She giggled, and licked the candy, "Hey, I'm not always like this. I'm just embarrassing you."  
  
"Well, you certainly can pull off that."  
  
She grinned, sticking her roripoppu back in her mouth. "Do you have any money on you?"  
  
"Why, am I supposed to buy you something?"  
  
She shrugged, "Well, no, just wondering.. in case I ran out."  
  
She stopped, and looked into a glass window, "Whoa................. Look at that rock!"  
  
She was starting at a jewelry store display. Not many women wore such glittering pieces, but she liked them. A lot. How they seemed to catch the rays of the sun within their transparent walls, and send out the beams like rainbows. She loved the way they sparkled and glittered. And the metal bands didn't look too shabby too.....  
  
"I'd give anything to have that diamond." She sighed.  
  
"It's just a rock, as you said."  
  
She frowned, and snapped back at him, "Yeah? That stuff you smoke is just leaves but you sure go out of your way for it?"  
  
He crossed his arms, "My leaves don't cost more than 20 ryo."  
  
She sighed, turning back to the window. "True........ Hmm, maybe if I work from two more years and I save up, I......" she counted on her fingers, then frowned, "Nah, make it three years..... damn."  
  
She sighed, "Screw it. I'll just buy foreign candy. That's good enough for me."  
  
"You can tell by your stomach it's good enough for you."  
  
She threw her roripoppu at him, but he ducked underneath it.  
  
"Don't do that again," he warned.  
  
"Stop putting me down!! Are you this way to all women?"  
  
He was about to retort with some kind of phrase, implying how unladylike she was in the first place, when she made a fist, "Go on, say it! I DARE you to say it!!"  
  
"Yare yare...... I thought we were friends."  
  
"Oh, I thought we were friends," she mimicked, "Please. You're hardly a good friend."  
  
"Am I?"  
  
"Yes. You're damn rude."  
  
"And you're not?"  
  
"See? You always have to point out flawing qualities in me!"  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Fine. You're perfect."  
  
"Thank you. Was that so hard?"  
  
He shook his head, smirking, "Moron......"  
  
She growled at him, then looked away. She stuck her hand into her bag, and pulled out a stick of chokorato. She nibbled on it, the sticky, but rich flavor spreading over her mouth. No doubt it would make her tongue look brown. Yechh. But, oh so good......  
  
"Hmm. Maybe I should live here!!"  
  
"Because it's closer to the candy store?"  
  
"No!" *Yes.* "I like foreign things."  
  
They were walking alongside the road, and he had to duck under a tree branch.  
  
"You're too tall."  
  
He tugged on his jacket, "Thank you for pointing it out. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known what I would do."  
  
"You are so damn lucky chokorato tastes so damn good. Otherwise, I would've chucked it right at you."  
  
"Then I'd duck."  
  
"Then I'd kick you."  
  
"You couldn't kick me."  
  
"Says who?"  
  
"Says me."  
  
"Someone thinks high and mighty of himself."  
  
"As does herself."  
  
She finished her chokorat, balling her fists, "Do you always have an answer to everything?!!"  
  
"Good friends answer their friends questions. Would you rather I stay silent the whole way back? I'm usually good at that too."  
  
She bit her tongue. For a bastard, he was a really nice guy right now. Ah well, all good things have to end sometime. She craned her neck up, looking at his head. After a minute, he glanced at her, "What now?"  
  
"You....... you ever think of growing a ponytail? Or making your hair long?"  
  
He shrugged, "No."  
  
"Ever?"  
  
"..........yes."  
  
"Hah! You had to think! You had you hair long, didn't you? Why'd you cut it?!"  
  
"Because I did. Why, would you rather I grow it back?"  
  
Actually, she would rather not have him do that. It would remind her of..... of the Shinsengumi. But then again, she was supposed to hate him anyways, right? So why did she not want to see him.... as his former self.  
  
She unwrapped some golden batasukachu (butterscotch), and popped it in her mouth. Tasted just like sugary butter. Well, she never tasted butter, but she assumed it tasted as good as this. "You sure you don't want any candy?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
A carriage rolled by, and Goro stepped out of it's way. She frowned, "I hate carriages. I almost got ran over by one when I was younger......"  
  
"That's funny. When I was younger, I nearly ran over a lady in a carriage."  
  
She looked at him, then lightly slapped his arm, "You liar!"  
  
He turned a corner at the street, "Well, this has been quite entertaining Miss Tokio, but this is my street."  
  
"Oh?" she looked at the row of single roomed houses. "Which box is yours?"  
  
"Cute. Just for that, I won't show you."  
  
"Too bad, I'm following!!" she looked around the street. Some old women were sitting with their doors open, and they were playing Mah Jong. "Say...... I think I live somewhere around here."  
  
"Hnh. Guess I'll be moving soon."  
  
He stopped at a door, and placed his hands on the side. He looked at her. She looked up at him.  
  
".... Good-bye."  
  
She frowned, "I don't get a look?"  
  
"We're not that close yet, " he smirked.  
  
Yet? The word set skitters through her stomach. Why was that happening? She didn't even like him!!  
  
She shrugged, "Ah well. See you around then."  
  
He bowed, "You too, Miss Tokio."  
  
She stayed home all day lying on the floor sucking on peppaminto. It tasted like the wind when it was snowing. She reviewed everything in her mind that had happened. He just came from somewhere. Definitely wasn't police business. Maybe he was supposed to kill someone?  
  
She rolled over. Why the hell did his voice make her feel so..... weird?  
  
She got, and smacked her head, "Dammit, I forgot about Yoshi!!!" 


	7. The Mongrel Dog

**Alas, Pechan still doesn't own any Rurouni Kenshin rights and trademarks and the like no one really gives a cr@p about.  
  
~ The Mongrel Dog ~  
  
"Hey, YOSHI!!"  
  
Yoshi looked up from his booth, as he dismantled it, "Ah, there she is."  
  
She panted, catching her breath. "Look, I am so friggin' sorry! I really am, I got sidetracked, oh, I'm so sorry!!"  
  
He grinned, "Yeah, I know I know. Look, it didn't really matter; I was so busy today that I hardly had anytime to sit down with an old friend."  
  
She sighed, "I know, but still, I promised....."  
  
"And you came. You're just a little late."  
  
"A little late? Yoshi, the sun's going down!!"  
  
He shrugged, "Alright, your freakin' late. Here I am just trying to make you feel a little better by sayin' it's okay, since it is."  
  
She sighed, "I'm being a b!tch, huh?"  
  
"Well, I'd use a better word. Besides, it looked like you had fun today."  
  
She frowned, "Huh? What do you-"  
  
"I caught you walking with that police guy home."  
  
She laughed, "Fujita?!! Oh please....."  
  
"Hey hey hey, I know that look on your face, and I know what it means!!"  
  
"Oh, shut up!!"  
  
"I mean, you used to use it on me, too-"  
  
She held up her hands, "Okay okay okay, stop it. Geez, me getting it on with that jerk is what nightmares is made of."  
  
He grinned, "Yeah right. So, what are you going to do now?"  
  
"Hmm. I dunno. I came to apologize, but, wanna hit a sake bar?"  
  
Yoshi took off his head band, "Sure."  
  
She grinned as he came beside her. He sighed, "So! What have you been doing these past few years?"  
  
"Ahhh, nothing. Just odd jobs here and there," she replied.  
  
"Tell me about it. Heard you were a geisha at one point, but you were fired because you dance like cr@p."  
  
She blushed, "Hey, where did you hear that?"  
  
He shrugged, "Word gets around."  
  
"Get's around too much. At this rate, I'm gonna be afraid to take a bath without people hearing about it, hah!!"  
  
He laughed, and patted her arm, "You're still the same cool girl I dated."  
  
She opened the flap to the bar, "Yeah yeah, just as long as you pay for your own drinks this time, I'll still be the friendly cool girl."  
  
~~An hour later~~  
  
Tokio didn't remember just how many drinks she had. Normally, she would just have a small bottle of warm sake. But, since he was paying, he ordered a full jug. They played drinking games, of which she won a lot. By the second jug, she was feeling dizzy. He said something like, they should be going, because it was late, but when she got up, she fell. A blur of faces watched her woozily try to stand, and Yoshi came behind her, taking her shoulders. She thinks he's apologizing to the crowd, as he leads her outside.  
  
She can't remember much else. All she really remembers is that she wanted to go home but he wouldn't let her, and she didn't want to be touched, but he didn't care, and when he touched her again, she was woozy, she needed some air, but he wouldn't let her, wouldn't let her..... she wanted to go, go home when his hands........... when he.....  
  
Suddenly, Tokio sat up in a bed, screaming, "HOLY SH!T!!!"  
  
Doctor Gisen looked up from the cloth he was wringing, "Ah, I see your up, Miss Tokio! Be a dear and lie still, please."  
  
Tokio panted, looking around her. She was in the hospital. But what had happened...? She looked down at her arm, and there was a huge gash on it. What had happened.........  
  
She had a drink. Yoshi brought her home. Yoshi? Where was he? What happened to him?  
  
"Hey, Doctor Gisen? I had a friend, where is he?"  
  
"I'm afraid that young man is in jail."  
  
"Jail? What for?"  
  
Gisen took the cloth, and pressed it to her wound. It was in boiling water, and she bit her tongue to keep from yelling. "Oh dear, I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell you. Well... you were taken advantage of."  
  
".... by Yoshi?"  
  
"Yes, by Yoshida."  
  
She bit her lip, watching him clean her wound. "Wait... wait, that can't be, he was my friend, I get info from that guy, I.... oh..... oh sh!t.." she muttered, looking away.  
  
"Yes, I truly am sorry for you, Miss Tokio."  
  
Tokio was breathing heavily, replaying the whole night. It all came back to her in one painful nauseating hang over.  
  
She wasn't able to get home. She was so friggin' drunk and stupid that she didn't know what freakin' way up was. Idiot... how could she do that?!! How could she let herself......!  
  
She bit her lip harder, oh man oh man.......  
  
Now she remembered , she remembered every shameful detail. She didn't go home, Yoshi took her to his house. He wanted, oh God, he wanted.....  
  
She choked back a sob. But she was so .... so F-CKING drunk, she was too drunk to push away his hands. Oh God, no, she was.... she really was.....  
  
She reached down, and found her inner thighs were bruised. Probably from someone riding her too hard-  
  
She bit her tongue. She clenched her eyes, and she buried her face in her hand. Oh God.....  
  
She felt the doctor's fingers lightly pat her back, "There there, you have suffered no physical injuries..."  
  
But even Gisen could taste how worthless his words were to her now. He quietly took a roll of gauze, and began wrapping her arm.  
  
She felt her muscles give tremors as she tried to keep it all inside. She felt her eyes burn, and her vision was blurring. She clamped her hand to her mouth to keep from screaming how much her life sucked. No, it more than sucked. Every turn she went to was a wrong one, and every decision she made left her with only one conclusion. Failure. Disgraceful, shameful, disgusting failure.  
  
Gisen finished wrapping her arm, and picked up his supplies. "I see you need to be alone. Alright then. I will not let anyone bother you again tonight, child. You need rest."  
  
Tokio gulped, and closed her eyes, nodding. But even so, he saw a glistening streak on her face. He sighed. This one so was willful and strong. Such an angry powerful girl that could never let anything crush her determined soul. It pained him to see the tough woman break. It truly did. He sighed, and left the room. He closed the door behind him.  
  
He looked up, at the assistant police inspector. "Ah, Fujita. Well, I have some good news and bad news."  
  
Goro took a drag from his cigarette.  
  
Gisen cleared his throat, feeling somewhat awkward. "The good news is, I don't really expect her to be conceiving anytime. I inspected her body, and found nothing on it. Save for that young man's blood."  
  
Goro nodded, saying nothing.  
  
"..... but the bad news is, she was penetrated. She was bleeding. And what's more, I think she's crying."  
  
He let out a stream of smoke, "Is she hurt?"  
  
"Well, there's only that gash on her arm. After you stabbed the man, I'd say your aim shifted a little, so she got the tip of it grazing against her arm. But hey, it's better than what might've happened, huh?"  
  
Goro stuck the cigarette back in his mouth, and he looked at the floor; thinking.  
  
Gisen sighed, "For what it's worth, thank you. I really like this young woman, one of the most spirited I've ever met. It'd be a shame to see her go like all the other lost widows and victims."  
  
Goro sighed, finished with his cigarette. He dropped the butt, and crushed it under his heel, "I thank you again, Gisen."  
  
"Yes. And, I suggest you not speak to her now. She doesn't appear to .... want company."  
  
Goro stepped away, "I'm sorry to disagree, Gisen, but I believe the one thing that girl needs right now is someone to talk to." He put his hands in his pockets, "She tries to commit suicide, weekly I think."  
  
"Oh, I see....."  
  
~~In Tokio's Hospital Room~~  
  
The door slid open. Tokio didn't look up from her spot. She sat with knees drawn to her forehead, and her arms wrapped around her legs. Her hair was down, and seemed to shield her from the rest of the world.  
  
Saito never realized how pale her skin was. He leaned against the wall. She was a tall, proud, and extremely loud person. Right now, she seemed smaller. And a lot quieter. The silence didn't settle with him.  
  
"Hey."  
  
She didn't respond. He rolled his eyes, then came over to her. He touched her shoulder, "Hey-"  
  
She jumped, and backed away, up against the wall. She was panting, her eyes wide. Saito stood where she pushed him away; calm, collective. Her lips were no longer rouged, and her eyes were puffy from crying. Her black hair was a stark contrast to her pale skin, and her jade eyes seemed on the verge of cracking. Such a shame. He was used to the more..... vibrant Tokio. She was much more beautiful than this.  
  
In fact, the way she was turning away, her face pressed into her arm as she curled up again, she looked more like a frightened animal than that beautiful opinionated pianist. Her tall posture was bent into a coward's crouch, and her once angry retorts she had for him were now replaced by an occasional whimper. But, she tried not to. He could tell. Some part of her was fighting to save face. But the majority of her just wanted to cry.  
  
Had she ever cried in her life? When was the last time she had...?  
  
"....Miss Tokio...." He started, but stopped. What could he say to comfort her? She had been beaten. Twice. All for the same price. Some part of her dignity just kept getting cut, and this was the final straw. Before, she would have lashed back and stuck harder than the last. But now... she wanted to give up. He didn't like this side of her.  
  
**What side should he like...?**  
  
He felt stupid. He was never one to be lost at words. He cleared his throat, looking away, "You better not do anything idiotic like kill yourself now."  
  
She gasped, and whispered above a constrained sob, "W-What the f-ck would it matter if I did?!! I'd just get into deeper sh!t..."  
  
"It would matter," he looked at her. She didn't even look away from her ball. He scratched the back of his head, turning away, "It'd matter since I was the one to get out of the way for saving you. I'd hate to think I'm wasting my time here."  
  
The gasped and sobs died away. She sniffed, and she slowly turned her head to him. Saito was not looking at her, and heard her voice say, "W-What? What do you mean?"  
  
"You know what I mean."  
  
She bit her lip, looking away, "...... why... why did you do it?"  
  
Truth be told, her 'attacker' brought her home to his apartment, which just happened to be the room next to Saito's. He couldn't get any sleep with all the moaning. Imagine his surprise when it was this woman's soft moans.  
  
Then his anger when he realized that she was crying, both in pain and for help.  
  
He hated when people did that. It was the lowest, most despicable thing in the world one could do. Normally, he wouldn't go out of his way for these types of things. But, they were in the room right next to him. And he wouldn't have gotten any sleep. Besides, there was something amusing about this girl. But right now, he was not feeling pity for her. Just a small bit of compassion. He himself was never taken advantage of, and if that happened, well.... he nearly smiled from the absurdity to it. But he turned, facing the prime concern right now.  
  
The woman who hated him the most was crying. And that was in it's own right weird.  
  
"I was at hand," he answered simply, shrugging.  
  
"Why do you keep saving me?!" she asked angrily.  
  
"Would you rather I not-"  
  
"Yes!!" she gasped, "You have any idea how feels to be saved, from someone like YOU!!?"  
  
He frowned, "No, how does it feel to be saved from someone like me? Worse than death?"  
  
Her bottom lip trembled, but her eyebrows slanted in despair. She closed her eyes, sagging back into her bed, "Yes. Worse than death."  
  
"....Miss Tokio... I have no idea what you've been through, but I know it must have been tough. Believe me, I've seen you get cut where it hurts the most, emotionally and physically, and I've seen you pull through. If for no reason you decide to grow weak now and give up-"  
  
She clenched her teeth, still looking at the wall. "You know NOTHING of me."  
  
"No. But I'd like to."  
  
Her eyes widened.  
  
"I help you and you push me away. If I come near you, you wince as if my very appearance ruined your day. The other day when I accidentally touched you, you leapt away as if my touch burned. Do you know who I am?"  
  
Tokio stared at those amber eyes, flecking like gold in the moonlight. No, it wasn't supposed... no, it... ohhh, what did it matter?!!  
  
"WHAT DOES IT MATTER?!!"  
  
"Everything, idiot!!"  
  
She sobbed, "Why are you talking like this?!! Why the hell should you care?"  
  
He grit his teeth, "Maybe for some idiotic reason I do. I don't know, maybe it's because you're always getting hurt. Or maybe it's because I always carry you to the hospital unconscious."  
  
She bit her lip, looking away, shaking her head, "No, nooooo..."  
  
"Tokio, why do you hate me?"  
  
She lifted her head, holding her breath.  
  
"I'm curious to know why."  
  
She sucked in some air, and crawled to the corner of the bed, against the wall. "Please, just leave me alone....."  
  
"I think if I'd do that, you'd pick up the first pointy thing you see and try to cut yourself."  
  
She sat in silent quaking sobs.  
  
He stared at her, then turned, "I expect to see you in the morning, Miss Tokio."  
  
He took one last glance at this broken woman, and left the room. He passed by Gisen, who was wiping the piano. He looked up to find Goro watching him. "Ah, well, since Miss Tokio's here, I thought if I asked her nicely, she'd play for us later."  
  
Saito smirked, "That would probably keep her alive for another day or two." 


	8. A Piano and a Ja Ne

**Pechan is wondering why anyone would try to sue her for accidentally not writing a disclaimer for Rurouni Kenshin.  
  
~ A Piano and a Ja Ne ~  
  
After a week, Goro was at his desk, doing police things. (if anybody knows what a Meiji era policeman does, please tell me, because I have absolutely no idea what they do) Suddenly, the door opened. He looked up, and found the police commissioner. "Saito. Did you finish up at Tama yet?"  
  
Saito narrowed his eyes at him, "I'm here, aren't I? It went without a problem, if that's what you wanted to know," he tugged off his gloves, "Of course, that's never the reason though. And...." he smiled up at him, "I'd appreciate if you called me Fujita like everyone is on."  
  
The commissioner closed the door behind him. "Sorry, but it was urgent. Umokubo has another assignment for you."  
  
"Oh? Where to now?"  
  
"Somewhere around Hokkaido, he didn't really give me the specifics," he pulled out a sealed letter from his jacket. Saito stood up, and took it. The commissioner continued, "As far as I know, it looks like some sort of war monger from the Revolution just wants to raise some hell. The problem is, he's already gotten himself a troop of people. His advocates, I suppose."  
  
Saito read the letter. Sure enough, the name sounded kind of familiar. He sighed, "A former Shinsengumi squad member. If I didn't know any better, I'd think this man was Jinei." He folded the paper into his pocket, "But no, this one isn't as crazy. I can't believe some of them are still lurking around." Mongrel dogs....  
  
The commissioner took a step to the door, opening it, "So you'll go?"  
  
"As soon as I can. I'll leave tomorrow morning. Get my transportation ready by then."  
  
The man nodded, then left the room in a hurry. Saito pulled out his gloves, and tugged them back on. That little man always reminded him of a rat. But, he was Umokubo's gopher, so he was a rodent after all...  
  
After a few more hours, he left for home.  
  
"Good evening, Mr. Fujita," bowed a woman and her child.  
  
He bowed as well, smiling, "Good evening, Miss Shura."  
  
"Momma!! I don't wanna go to Tokyo!! I like it here!!"  
  
"Hush, Sakura! Someone'll hear us.."  
  
Shura bowed to him again, and tugged her little girl. No doubt running away from the husband. If it were up to Saito, he'd have killed the slobbering drunk years ago. He's seen those bruises on her arms no one could see. He praised her silently in his head for getting the courage to run away from him./ It was best for the girl, too.  
  
**Tokyo.**  
  
He stopped. Ah, Miss Tokio. He turned, facing the hospital. He shrugged walking to the doors. What the hell, he was leaving tomorrow. Dropping by shouldn't hurt.  
  
He put his hand on the door to open it, when he heard the piano playing. It swelled with rhythm and dynamics. He smirked, well, she decided to live after all.  
  
He opened the door, finding a new crowd around the piano. An old man missing a leg, leaning on a cane bobbed his head to the music. This piece was much slower to her last one that he heard. Gisen was right behind her, sometimes praising her. Tokio's eyes were closed, her rouged lips curving gently into a content smile. The music slowed to the pulse of a dying man, and ended with a low B flat chord.  
  
The audience clapped.  
  
A little boy cheered, "Pretty!! Can you make me a song?"  
  
Tokio looked down at him, "Well, I dunno' if I can make one up, but I can play another." She grinned, and leaned down to him, "Here, you can sit next to me. You'll help!"  
  
He giggled with glee as she lifted him, and placed him next to her lap. She picked up his hand, and let one of his fingers jam a key. It was a single note, and it was very high. But the child was delighted none the less. Tokio smiled, "all you have to do, is push that key every two seconds. Can you do that?"  
  
The song was very simple, and the single repeating note gave the song a heart beat, very life into it. Soon after, Tokio closed her eyes, and sang. She did not sing loud, for the song required only a lulling, woman's voice to east the beat. And it worked, every person in the room felt relaxed. The words grew more and more meaningful. She was quite a signer as well as a pianist.  
  
He smirked, she's an accomplished pianist, singer, and entertainer. She can work any job, as long as it's not degrading, like a prostitute. She had a heavy European influence, and can speak a little bit of it. She claims she learned it form her father. The few clothes she had were rich and fine, and she is always wearing make up to make herself look picture perfect. As if she was not beautiful enough.  
  
... did he just think that? He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. Well, sure, she sounds very nice. But, she was very loud and rude when it came to people like him.  
  
"Ah, Fujita!! What brings you here?"  
  
Goro looked up at Gisen. He waved, "Hello!! Come to check up on Tokio, eh?"  
  
He nodded, "Yes, that's right." He walked around the crowd to her, "I was hoping to see if she made the right choice. And it looks like she did."  
  
She smiled, "Yeah, about that...." She got up. The little boy grabbed her sleeve, and Goro could see he had a disgusting rash. "Oooh, Tokio!! I wanna play the piano with you!!"  
  
She patted his head, "Aww, Akira, I'll be back later. Trust me; I just need to talk to the big mean cop now."  
  
Tokio slid the door behind her, when they entered the room alone. Outside, they heard Akira pressing the single note again, and counting to two in between. She chuckled, "Oh, that kid's so sweet. Normally, I can't deal with 'em, but he's so adorable."  
  
Goro nodded. "I am relieved you didn't kill yourself."  
  
She sighed, "Yeah..... I wussed out right before I cut my jugular."  
  
"I'm surprised you know where to cut."  
  
She shrugged, "I read a lot." She looked up at him, "So, what did you want?"  
  
"Nothing. Just wanted to see if you got better. I can't follow up on key suspects?"  
  
She grinned, "Sounds more like you wanna play hookie with me."  
  
He rolled his eyes, "Sure I do." He walked to the door, and patted her shoulder, "You're stronger than you think Tokio. And for the love of God, stop wandering the streets alone."  
  
She shrugged, "Sure thing, I'll just stick with you."  
  
She purposely said that to make him look away, a bit nervous. He sighed, "Well, I'll be gone for a while."  
  
She frowned, "How come?"  
  
"An old friend of mine is falling gravely ill," he smiled, "I'll be there to see him at the end of his days."  
  
She nodded, "Oh, okay. Well, I guess I won't keep you."  
  
As he walked passed her, he felt something latch to his elbow. He turned and found her grasping it. She grinned awkwardly, "thanks for making sure I felt better."  
  
Oddly, given the awkward circumstance, this felt okay with him. He nodded, "Good day, Miss Tokio. I hope to see you again in a month."  
  
"A month?!! I could get killed in a month!! You know me, it's like every full moon, I get smacked or attacked or... or attacked!!"  
  
"Yes, you certainly have a knack for that."  
  
She pulled him back, "Well, don't leave me here!! Once you leave, it'll be Tokio Hunting Season!!"  
  
".............. Tokio Hunting Season," he repeated, incredulously.  
  
She looked at him for a while, eyes big. Then she said in a rush, "I'll go with you!"  
  
"What?"  
  
She went to the hospital bed, and pulled out her slippers that were underneath it. "Here, I'll just run home and get another kimono and yukata."  
  
He sighed, "Tokio, I can't take you with me."  
  
"Why not? I wanna meet your friend."  
  
He nearly laughed at the absurdity of the situation. "He doesn't want to meet you."  
  
She undid her ponytail, and began to braid it, "Nonsense, you'll hardly notice I'm there."  
  
He held up his hands, "No Tokio. You stay here."  
  
"You said so yourself, it' dangerous for me to stay here all alone!" she turned and walked to her bed, and got on her hands and knees. Reaching under her bed, she felt around for her wallet, "Here, I even got money."  
  
Goro wanted to remark 'take your time the view is great from here', but he thought the better of it.  
  
"I can't take you, Tokio."  
  
She sat on her heels, pouting, "why not?"  
  
God, why does he have to pout all the time? Does she have any idea how alluring it.... He shook his head, "Because. It's a business trip."  
  
She bit her lip, "You won't have to feed me."  
  
"No..."  
  
"you won't have talk to me."  
  
He narrowed his eyes, "Why in the world if I want to bring someone I don't have to talk to feed to or care less about?"  
  
Tokio jumped up, "Please?"  
  
He turned, "Good bye, Tokio, I'll see you in a month."  
  
Suddenly, he felt a heavy load on his back, and he nearly fell over. He couldn't' believe she pounced on him! He turned his head, "Tokio!"  
  
She had her legs around her waist, and her elbows around his neck. And it actually was hurting!! He grabbed her harms, prying them apart. She growled, "Not... until.. you say... I ... can.. come!!"  
  
He growled back, "Good, keep this up. This'll really make you want to come with me now."  
  
She tightened her grip, until he finally decided to fall back.  
  
"h-Hey!!" she shouted, when he deliberately fell backward. She hit the floor, her arms loosening, "OOFF!!"  
  
Goro rubbed his head, and stopped. As did she. Goro's head was right on her...  
  
Her pupils shrunk and she jumped up. He shook his had, and slowly rose.  
  
She shouted, "Pervert!! You should be locked away!!  
  
"Don't flatter yourself, I fell."  
  
"Yeah, conveniently on my-"  
  
Gisen poked his head in, "Is something wrong? I thought I heard someone fall over!"  
  
Tokio grinned, waving her hand, "Ah he heh heh, no, I was just jumping."  
  
"Jumping? For what?"  
  
"For joy. Who cares?"  
  
Gisen nodded, "Ah I see. Well, don't let me interrupt you."  
  
Goro sighed. Great, he hoped Gisen wasn't a gossip.  
  
Tokio grinned, "See what you did?"  
  
Saito grumbled. He was going to have to kill at least fourteen people single handedly. He didn't need her around to get in the way. "Look, it's getting late, and I'm going to miss my train. I'll see you in a month."  
  
She bit her bottom lip, her face turning sad, "you're really going?"  
  
He smirked, "You speak as if this is the last time we meet," he turned away again, "Besides, you have that little sick boy who wants to play the piano with you."  
  
She gasped, "Oh, Akira! I forgot..."  
  
She opened the door, then turned her head, looking at him, "Fine. I'm letting you off easy this time. But next time, I get to come!!"  
  
As she walked into the hall, he followed her to the exit, "Why would you want to come, anyways?"  
  
She shrugged, "I like to wander."  
  
He smirked, "Life as a wanderer isn't good for the soul."  
  
"You think so? It's a great way to get around, and see places, see everything there is in this world."  
  
She opened the door. He smiled at her, as he ducked under the door jam. "But a wanderer does not belong anywhere. They just drift aimlessly. They wander until the day they die, and when they do, who mourns for them?"  
  
She stared at him, jaw slightly open.  
  
"I don't think you'd want to die alone, would you?"  
  
She smiled, looking away, "Well, when you put it that way, I guess life as a wanderer wouldn't suit me. Although, it's what I've been doing these past four years."  
  
Goro put on his hat, "Do yourself a favor and settle down somewhere. Maybe then you'll stop taking all those idiotic risks."  
  
Tokio growled, "When you get back I'm gonna' be all better and kick the sh!t outta' you!!"  
  
He said nothing, just waved his arm as he walked away. Of course he heard her. He'd always listened to her. 


	9. Smoking Out the Wolf's Den

**Pechan refuses to create any Rurouni Kenshin characters. That's why she borrows them.  
  
~ Smoking Out the Wolf's Den ~  
  
~~ Two weeks later~~  
  
Tokio had donned her pink kimono. Personally, she had always liked pink, but it just didn't match her green eyes. Too bad. She had taken a job as a waitress again at a place called the Shirobeko. Miss Sae had given her a job there, with the kindest regards. Tokio found she really liked cooking. So, instead of outing up with loud, drunken rude men, she decided to become a cook. Besides, when she was a waitress, at least every other day she got slapped in the butt by the same man.  
  
Miss Sae was kind enough to give her the title cook, after she kicked the guy swiftly in the nuts. The good thing about being a cook, is that the cook stayed in the back all the time. Away from idiotic people.  
  
She learned how to make all kinds of dishes. In fact, she was having fun. People commented on her cooking, and she even got tips from people from outside. Miss Sae even said her cooking rivaled her sister's, Miss Tae.  
  
She was doing just fine. Then a few days later, someone had ordered plain hot soba. She wondered if it was him, but decided not to look out. It'd make her look desperate. As she got an order of okunomiyaki to make, she wondered why the hell she was feeling so lonely....  
  
Presently, after two and a half weeks since she left, she decided to sneak into his house. It was her original objective, to scope out and learn everything about him. She'd know what could make him vulnerable. For now, she knew he didn't care about playing hero for a damsel in distress. After all, he had saved her twice.  
  
She remembered with a smile, then shook her head. Yeah, but he killed more people now!!  
  
**Because of you....**  
  
She frowned, mumbling, "It still shows he hasn't changed, he still kills people."  
  
**Well, to be fair, the kind of people he killed weren't exactly the nicest of people.**  
  
She clonked her head, "Stupid conscience....."  
  
She found his home, and placed her fingers on the door. Before she went in, she took a quick glance around her, making sure no one was watching her. After checking for the coast to be clear, she slid open the door jumped inside, and slammed the door behind her. She sighed, well, that was done for.  
  
She looked around the room, a little surprised by how neat the room was. It seemed like an ordinary room.  
  
'Was she even in the right house?' she thought, with a panic.  
  
Then he took a sniff, and cough. Cigarette smoke. Ho yeah, this was his place. She looked at the front wall, and cracked open his window. She walked into the middle of his room. So, this is the wolf's den....  
  
After staring at the place she laughed, not much, was it?  
  
She decided to poke around. She wasn't originally going to, hoping to find his Shinsengumi uniform on the floor and that was all the proof she'd need to know he was the same manslayer.  
  
She opened a sliding door, revealing a closet. There was a futon and futon blankets. There were also some pants and shirts folded. She lifted them up, and it unfolded to the floor. Damn, he had long legs!! She looked back in the closet. Didn't he have any yukata?  
  
She knelt, folding his pants. Out of the pocket, a package of cigarettes fell out. She placed them back in, hoping he wouldn't notice anything out of place. She placed the pants down, noticing a few boxes under the futon. She pushed it aside, and opened it. Inside were millions of papers. Dozens of broken sealed letters. She picked one up, and read it. It was a criminal file. She picked up another, another police record. She picked up one of the letters. This one was a recommendation for him to station in Nagasaki.  
  
She whistled, that was a nice place. Wonder hwy he declined? After she leafed through more papers, she couldn't find any papers that contained a response from Saito.  
  
She closed that box, and opened a much larger box. On the side, there was a symbol in white that had a white triangle and circle. She undid the leather straps.  
  
"This must be something he carries," she commented, otherwise there would be straps in the back. As she set the lid down, she looked inside. It was full of little bags. She picked one up, and looked inside. Inside were some rolled pills. In another some cut of dried leaves. There were a few bottles of things, and..  
  
"Heeeyy.... this stuff looks like medicine.." she whispered to herself. She frowned, picking up a roll of bandages. Bandages she knew an average person would need for cuts. But some of these medicines were known to heal broken bones pretty fast. She smirked, why would his arms break? He cuts things, he doesn't fist fight. Well, she guessed he had accidents too.  
  
She shut the box, and strapped on the lid. She slid the box back into place, and noticed another box. This one looked rather old. She opened it, and it revealed two packages of cigarettes, and a few old yukata. She sighed, well, what was she expecting? She giggled, then placed her fingers on her forehead, as she sat down more comfortably. He probably burned everything when his Shinsengumi days were over. It'd cover up the trail.  
  
She smelled something like ancient cigarette smoke inside the box. She placed her hand in, and jiggled it around. Nothing heavy. But something hard batted her fingers. She frowned, curled her fingers around it, and lifted it up.  
  
It was an armguard.  
  
She gasped, and dropped it. This was defiantly part of the Shinsengumi uniform. She gulped, and stuck her hand in again. She pulled out another hard thing, a head band. With a strip of metal in the middle.  
  
Her hands were slightly trembling. She bit her bottom lip, and dropped the head band. She jumped at the box, and began to throw out the yukatas. She was panting, as if she had to find it. She had to find that uniform.  
  
**What would that do? Would it make you hate him?**  
  
She growled, "Ergh, shut up!!"  
  
But her conscious rattled on.  
  
**Admit it, you like him. He's definitely got you hooked, foolish girl. Loving the murderer of your parents-**  
  
She slammed the floor, "SHUT UUUUP!!"  
  
She couldn't take her conscious. Always telling her what she really wanted!!  
  
**If you want to keep that last shred of happiness you have, you'll dig no further.**  
  
She but her hands were compelled, as she threw out some tabi socks.  
  
**Oh, I get it. You're trying to hate him. Futile. You're hands are already shaking. I can see right through you, you're trying hardest to hate him. That way, you think it'll let you kill him easier. If your anger was refueled.**  
  
She huffed, "That's right. That's what I've been doing all along!!" she whispered.  
  
Suddenly, she saw a turquoise blue, peeking out under an old futon at the bottom of the box. Her breathing stopped, as did her pulse.  
  
**You realize, if you discover he's still a manslayer, your heart would break.**  
  
A tear escaped her eyes.  
  
*You're crying because now you have to kill that wolf you love so much now.**  
  
Tokio had her jaw hanging, realization coming over her. Then she grit her teeth, and yanked up that last thing in the box.  
  
In bright turquoise and white triangles, she found the wolf's skin.  
  
A flash of her memory came to her. She remembered a wolf dressed in turquoise pounce at her father, stabbing him in the head, his fang poking out the side of her father's face.  
  
She gasped, and dropped it. Her pulse accelerated, and she was breathing hard. Oh God oh God oh God....  
  
Tokio didn't realize how hard this could be!! Unveiling a murderer....  
  
But she heard something outside.  
  
"Ah, you're back Fujita! How was Tama?"  
  
She gasped, standing. She didn't hear his reply, as she threw everything back in box, and slammed it into the closet. She heard footsteps coming, as Saito was slowing down, talking to some civilian. She bit her lip so hard, she tasted blood. She panicked, backed into the closet, and slammed it shut.  
  
Of course, this would be the stupidest thing she ever did in her life. Besides falling in love with a wolf.  
  
~~Outside the House~~  
  
"Good day Suzuki," bowed Goro Fujita to the woman.  
  
She bowed in return, "Good day. Send my regards to Miss Tokio."  
  
He smiled, "Ah, it isn't like that, you know."  
  
Suzuki giggled, turning, "Sure it isn't. Bye bye!!"  
  
He opened his door smirking. He dropped his bag at the door jam, and narrowed his eyes.  
  
Someone was in here. He sniffed the air. Now, he kind of regretted for smoking so much. It masked the intruder's stench. He stepped inside, and his foot stepped on something. He looked down, and saw one of his armguards.  
  
He narrowed his eyes even more, and closed the door slowly. He sniffed again, and found the smell was still lingering. What was that smell?  
  
He slowly drew his sword, quietly. It kind of smelled like..... okunomiyaki.....  
  
He didn't care. Someone was in his house. And they've been through his box of... private belongings. The only one who should be breaking in here was to figure him out. He tensed his legs, falling into the stance of Hirazuki. He pointed the tip to the closet. He grit his teeth, and shot at it. The door tore apart, and he stopped when he heard a high scream.  
  
He widened his eyes.  
  
Tokio had her body pressed against the wall, and she was panting, eyes wide. Her hands were flat on the wall, and her waist had moved just an inch away from where his sword tip landed. Her bun was askew, and several escaping strands or black hair were stuck to her face. She was sweating.  
  
He pulled away his sword, **of all the stupid...**  
  
He snarled, "What were you doing in here?!!"  
  
She raised a hand to her mouth, "I-I'm sorry, I-I-"  
  
"Do you have any idea what could have happened?!"  
  
She bit her lip, sniffing, "I know, I.. I can explain-"  
  
"What were you doing in my closet, Tokio? In my house?"  
  
He threw the armguard at her, she yelped, and put up her hands to block it, as if it were a rock he were throwing at her.  
  
"What were you looking for?!!"  
  
She stammered, "N-nothing, I-I mean, I didn't mean to.. to..."  
  
"Why are you here?!"  
  
She gasped, holding in her sobs.  
  
He sheathed his sword, angrily. He kept his eyes on her, glaring, "ARE YOU DEAF?!"  
  
She gulped, looking at him.  
  
**God, she looked so scared of him........**  
  
He frowned, "Answer me!"  
  
No. Tokio didn't want this. **No, why...... why did she feel so bad.....**  
  
"What were you looking for?!!"  
  
**Why did it hurt........... to see him so mad with her?**  
  
She looked away, hugging herself, "Stop YELLING AT ME!!"  
  
He rolled his eyes, "For the love of.... who the hell do you think you are, yelling at me? You're trespassing!!"  
  
She opened the door the rest of the way, and stomped out. She glared, "Look, I-I sorry, I didn't want, I mean, I thought you'd c-come home la-"  
  
"I came home early. How long were you in here?"  
  
"Not l-long-"  
  
"What did you see?"  
  
She bit her lip, looking away, "Nothing, I didn't see-"  
  
"Don't look away, what did you-"  
  
"NOTHING!!" she snapped. He narrowed his eyes, as she turned away, for the door, "Look, sorry, won't happen again-"  
  
"No," he grabbed her arm. "I don't like it when people go in my house, and through my things. I'm sure you don't either."  
  
She tried yanking her arm, tugging as he held on. She grunted, "Well, it wouldn't f---kin' matter to me, since I got none!!"  
  
He wrenched her arm, hoping to get his point clear, "Well, break into someone else's house next time, you idiot!!"  
  
She slapped him, "Don't ever call me that!!"  
  
The slap didn't even jolt him, as he allowed himself to be hit. She growled and struck again, but this time, he caught her wrist. He snarled, bending over her, "Do you have any IDEA how close I came to killing you, Tokio!!?"  
  
She gasped, eyes widening.  
  
"If I didn't hear you scream I wouldn't have stopped, and you'd be dead, do you understand?!"  
  
**.... He almost.... I almost....**  
  
He yanked her arm, pulling her close, "Do you get it now?!"  
  
Her bottom lip trembled, and she tried to narrow her eyes. That accomplished a single tear to escape. She whispered, "What's one more dead body to s-someone like you?!"  
  
His eyes widened a bit, "You...."  
  
She shoved him, and this time, he let her go. She wiped her face running as fast as she could. She ran passed the shopping district, passed the houses, all the way into the woods. She ran until she thought her body and heart would collapse. She ran. She always ran. She was running away from her feelings till now, and now she was running away from him.  
  
She leaned against a tree, and sobbed.  
  
**Why can't I just love you like normal people.....? How come you're the one that killed Daddy? If you didn't, you'd..... I could love you all I want......... I...............I-I.... oh God, it hurt to see you so mad at me. Be mad at anyone, anyone but me!! Please....**  
  
She sniffed, curling into a ball.  
  
*Please don't have that same angry look when I kill you." 


	10. Back to Work

**Pechan can only wish she owned the Rurouni Kenshin characters.  
  
~ Back to Work ~  
  
~~Next week~~  
  
Tokio slept until someone knocked on her door. She groaned, sitting up. She yawned, and the knocker rapt louder.  
  
"I'm coming!! Wait a minute...." she called, and stretched. She tightened her yukata, and pushed her hair back. She walked over to the door, and slid it open. She blinked herself awake, looking at Miss Sae.  
  
"Oh, Miss Sae! What, did you uhh.... did you need something?"  
  
Miss Sae, "and a good morning to you, Miss Tokio."  
  
Tokio blushed, then bowed, "Yeah, sorry. Good morning to you. What's up?  
  
Miss Sae smiled, "Me and the other workers were wondering where you were. I mean, you've been gone for a week. Some people are asking where you are, Miss Tokio."  
  
She yawned, covering her mouth, "I'm sorry. I was very sick lately. But, I'll start working tomorrow."  
  
Miss Sae giggled, "That's good. A policeman's been looking for you."  
  
Tokio didn't need to ask who. "Oh?" she shrugged smirking, " I wouldn't' be surprised if he's looking for arresting me."  
  
"Why is that, Tokio? Did you make him mad?"  
  
"Kinda. I broke into his house."  
  
Miss Sae put her hand to her mouth, "Oh my, I see."  
  
"Yeah. Do me a favor, tell him I'm sick."  
  
She giggled, "You sure don't look sick, Miss Tokio. Come on, let's get working'!!"  
  
Sae grabbed hr hand. Tokio smiled, still sleepy, "Thanks for the motivation, Sae, but I really need to sleep today. I swear, tomorrow morning, boom, I'll be there."  
  
She giggled, "Boom? Can I bet on that?"  
  
Tokio smiled, "I would. See ya tomorrow."  
  
Sae bowed, "Good day, Miss Tokio."  
  
Tokio bowed lower, "Good day, Miss Sae. Thanks for not firing me."  
  
"Fire a great cook like you? Forget about it!!"  
  
Tokio waved good bye to her as she left. She sighed, and closed the door. She stumbled back into her futon, and went right to sleep.  
  
~Next Day~~  
  
Tokio dressed in am icy blue kimono. She tinted her lips and rouged her cheeks. She swept up her hair into a bun, and se tout for the Shirobeko.  
  
"Ah, you're back Miss Tokio!" cheered Sae.  
  
Tokio bowed, "Thank you for visiting me, yesterday. It cheered me up."  
  
Sae put her hand on her shoulder, leading her to the back. "Well, you sure look nice today. Expecting anyone?"  
  
Tokio shrugged, rolling up her sleeves, "No, I was just in my house for a few days. Haven't used the stuff in a while." She tied on an apron, "Got any orders yet?"  
  
"Yes, some tanuki udon. Two bowls, and a plate of sushi."  
  
Tokio nodded, "I'm on it."  
  
After she was done working, she said her goodbye, picked up her tips, and walked out the door, on her way home.  
  
"Well well, this is the first job I've seen you stick with."  
  
She turned, pouting to Fujita. He smirked, "Settled down yet?"  
  
She shook her head, "Not yet. You?"  
  
He raised a brow in question.  
  
She smiled, "I mean, you travel a lot. You can be called a wanderer too, right? You don't belong anywhere, to anyone."  
  
He leaned off the wall, walking beside her, "I'm different. The rules don't apply to me."  
  
"So what have you been up to?"  
  
"Work."  
  
Tokio nodded, "I see........... well, when's you day off?"  
  
"Not anytime soon," he smiled politely, "Did I get your hopes up?"  
  
"Tch. No." **Yes.**  
  
"You're lying."  
  
"Says who?" she pouted.  
  
"You're eyes. They're terrible liars."  
  
She shrugged, "So sue me. I enjoy the company now and then."  
  
"Now and then. Hnh. You're biological clock's ticking like crazy," he smirked.  
  
She pushed him, "Oh, what do you know about it?!! For all you know, I could just be going crazy."  
  
He straightened his jacket, "I don't believe someone like you could go crazy."  
  
She scoffed, "Wanna bet?"  
  
"I believe something happened to you when you were little. Nothing else can push you over the edge."  
  
She stopped. He turned, calmly eyeing her. "Did I say something wrong?"  
  
Her bottom lip quivered, as she glared, "Don't ever talk about.... don't you talk like.... like you know me, you jerk."  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her. He had to admit, he was rather curious about what happened to her. Every time he mentioned something he noted about her personality, she flared up on the offensive. He admitted it was something he didn't like about her. But, it did make people stop asking about her past. He found it somewhat unfair, that he could just skirt around the question. But if she ever did something like, oh say, break into his house, he was the one at fault.  
  
He sighed, "Women......"  
  
"What was that?" she asked.  
  
Which brought his next question. "Perhaps maybe now you can tell me why you were in my house?"  
  
She sighed, walking ahead of him. "Maybe I got lonely?"  
  
"I thought you liked living alone."  
  
She shrugged, laughing, "I change my mind a lot."  
  
"You let it wander."  
  
She sneered, "Boy, do you love that word."  
  
He shrugged, "I've certainly met my share of them." He looked up, "Is that your house?"  
  
She grinned, "Yeah. This is the rickety little hut I call home. Cozier than it looks."  
  
He smiled at her. He placed back on his cap, "Well, I will say good day to you, Miss Tokio."  
  
She was already at her door, opening it, she looked over her shoulder, "Hmm? You won't come in?"  
  
Now that was strange. There was something about the tilt of her head and inclination of her voice that made him want to stay. Her emerald eyes glittered in question, and her lips had puckered into a defeated pout. He should ask if she did that on purpose. Because it certainly would work on an average man.  
  
He smiled politely, "I thank you, but no. I must be getting back to work."  
  
"Why did you walk me home?"  
  
"Why not? You might have gotten attacked otherwise."  
  
She laughed flatly, "Oh ha ha, very original."  
  
He bowed, and turned away.  
  
She sighed, and called after him, "You be careful too!!"  
  
He nearly laughed. Now that was something. Nobody ever worried for him. Everyone he worked with knew he could get the job done. And come back alive. He had always survived every life or death situation thrown at him. Still, he had to say, her worry somewhat ..... somewhat lifted a slight burden on his shoulders. How odd. 


	11. An Unwanted Guest for the Night

**The only thing Pechan will ever own is her lucky licorice rope, and erotic dreams of Hajime Saito, whom Nobuhiro Watsuki created. She owns nothing else. (just kidding. Pechan hates licorice)  
  
~ An Unwanted Guest for the Night ~  
  
Saito woke up to the sound of someone banging on his door. He looked down at the report in his hand. Hnh. He usually didn't fall asleep until he finished what he was doing. The knocking continued, and he stretched, getting up. Who the hell dared to bother him now? He opened the door, and found that Tokio in front of him. He buttoned the buttons on his jacket, "Is there something you want?"  
  
Tokio gulped and asked, "I was wondering. How much does a servant get paid?"  
  
Goro frowned, "You came in the middle of the night to my house to ask how much are servant wages?"  
  
"Yes." She asked, a worried look on her face.  
  
Goro pinched his brows, rubbing his temples, "And this is important, why....?"  
  
"Well, I was thinking. See, I have really bad luck. But lately, you've been there to ummm....," she couldn't believe she was saying this, "Save me. So I thought, hey!! I got no job!! You're really nice! I'll work for you!"  
  
Goro stared at her. Then put his hand on the door, "Good night, Miss Tokio."  
  
She threw out her hand, and caught the sliding door, "Hey, no, really!! I need a job!"  
  
"Then why did you bother me?"  
  
Tokio bit her lip, "I bother you?"  
  
Goro sighed, "Yes, very. Now run along. And don't get raped on the way home."  
  
She rolled her eyes, "Oh, ha ha. Tell me, do you write these down?"  
  
Goro tried to pull his door shut, as Tokio leaned on it to keep it open, "Errgh, okay!! Okay, no job! But, is it okay if I spend the night?"  
  
"......... the night."  
  
Suddenly, there was a police whistle.  
  
Tokio looked behind her, "Aw damn..."  
  
Goro sighed, "You're in trouble, aren't you?"  
  
"How'd you guess?"  
  
"So why come to a policeman's house after you committed a crime?"  
  
Another whistled, and Tokio jumped in passed him, "Because it's the last place they'd expect!"  
  
But no sooner as her words left her mouth, she felt his arm catch her stomach, and he pushed her back out, "Then go to another's house."  
  
"But I know where you live!!"  
  
"Officer Shinichi lives two blocks away, by a fox shrine. Pay him a visit."  
  
Tokio struggled against his arm, "EEEEEEEEEERR- pleeeeease?!! I swear, I won't touch anything!!"  
  
"All you do is bring trouble where ever you go. The last thing I need is to come home to my house in ashes." Tokio sighed, and drooped on his arm. "I see how it is. Well then, I'll just commit suicide right on your door mat and leave a note saying how badly you raped me."  
  
"Very thoughtful of you."  
  
She frowned and grabbed his jacket, "EEEEK!! NO!! DON'T TOUCH ME!!"  
  
Goro narrowed his eyes, "What are you-"  
  
"NO, I DON'T WANNA!! PLEASE, ANYTHING BUT MY INNOCENCE!! EEEEK!!"  
  
Saito heard footsteps of the police just a block down, and he growled as he yanked Tokio inside.  
  
Two policemen came around the corner. One of them, Tanaka, exclaimed, "Ah! Fujita!! Did you happen to see a woman around here?"  
  
Goro smiled, shaking his head, "Can't say that I have."  
  
"That's weird, we heard her voice all around town."  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
"Yeah, sounded like she was getting, I don't know, attacked by some guys."  
  
"All around town you say? Hmmm...."  
  
He shifted his eyes into his room, where Tokio shrugged, grinning.  
  
"..... well, I haven't seen or heard anything here," he replied.  
  
"Really? I could have sworn-"  
  
"That'll be all, Tanaka."  
  
He saluted, "Sir," and left with his partner, as they continued patrolling the city.  
  
Saito slid his door closed, and watched Tokio look at herself through a mirror in her hand.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?"  
  
"I felt lonely. Happy?"  
  
"Not entirely. Why did you run around screaming like that?"  
  
"I dunno."  
  
"I have a feeling you did that so under the circumstances I'd let you in."  
  
Tokio shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not. Who cares? I got me a bed tonight."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yep!!" she stuffed her mirror into her sleeve. She looked around the one roomed apartment complex place thingy, whatever they're called. "Nice place. Cozy."  
  
"It was quiet here too, a minute ago."  
  
Tokio smiled, "Well, don't mind me. I just need a place to stay for tonight."  
  
"Did you get kicked out of where you were living before?"  
  
"Mmm hmm. But, you're nice enough to let me stay."  
  
"So you say," he lit a cigarette.  
  
Tokio kicked off her sandals, and pulled down her sock a bit, and rubbed her skin. Her cuts were gone entirely. "Say, you did pay for my hospital bill, didn't you?"  
  
"Suppose I had. Would it make you leave?"  
  
"It'd make me stay with such a considerate man," she grinned, devilishly.  
  
Goro sighed, "No, I didn't."  
  
"Well too bad, I'm staying."  
  
"I really didn't."  
  
Tokio shrugged, "Still staying."  
  
Goro sighed, "Listen Miss Tokio, I'm sure you're a nice woman and all, but have a very busy life. The last thing I need, is you going through my things at night."  
  
"What makes you think that?" she asked indignantly.  
  
"You pry too much. When you think I'm not looking at you, you're watching me. Intently. Plus you broke into my house the other day. Now unless I look better than I remembered and you can't get enough of me, or-"  
  
"Someone thinks high and mighty of himself."  
  
"Or you're looking for something that I might have."  
  
Tokio got up, "Well, honestly, yeah, I came to see you."  
  
He flicked some ashes off his cigarette. "Well, now that is surprising. Every time we meet you end up causing trouble."  
  
She smiled, "It's cause I'm dangerous. Rar."  
  
Goro rolled his eyes, "Whatever you say." He went back to his desk, and began reading the report again. According to this, unless the officers in Hakode got their act together, he was going to have to go over there.  
  
She put her getas by the door. "What'cha reading?"  
  
He flipped the paper over, reading the other side, "Police report. And I'll thank you to please be quiet."  
  
Tokio pouted, leaning back on her arms. He read the other side. So far, this particular man impersonated as an inn keeper at the hot springs. The guests would come, where he would rob them. Not much trouble here, he didn't see why they needed him.  
  
He picked up the envelope, and pulled out the rest of the letter. Ah, I see. Aside from keeping a day job as an inn keeper, the man goes around accepting challenges and killing people. Not only that, according to this, all of the inn workers, including the maids and the cooks, killed passerby on a nightly basis. Motive? Not money. Nor revenge. Pure lust for blood. They kill all witnesses. And threaten the locals to keep their mouths shut.  
  
With ten members strong, they were called under the alias the Ten Wolves. Ju Ookami, Jukami for short.  
  
He smirked. Worthless dogs aren't even worthy of the name wolf. But, they said with the second letter he should come. For now, they were going to mobilize a station of swordsmen to get rid of it. After that, perhaps they won't send for him after all.  
  
"Hakode? Cool, hot springs would be so great!"  
  
He frowned, and grabbed a lock of her hair. She squealed, as he pulled her down. She had her chin right above his shoulder, and was reading his report. Stupid girl, how did she get behind him?  
  
And how come she could kick the way she did? Not to mention, she was exceptionally gifted in infiltrating.  
  
He narrowed his eyes, "Did I tell you you can speak?"  
  
She squeezed her fingers into his hand, trying to pry her precious hair loose, "Hey hey HEY! Watch it!! I just cut the split ends. I don't need you ruining them!!"  
  
He sighed, getting up, "I liked you better when you hated me. You weren't so clingy."  
  
He dodged her geta sandal.  
  
"Who's clingy?! What makes you think I want some jerk like you?" she snapped.  
  
He turned, reading the paper, sighing, "You're eyes do."  
  
Tokio growled, looking for something to strike him with.  
  
According to the report, if Nakamura called him, then it was urgent no problem. He'll only look out for order from Nakamura-  
  
He held up his arm, and caught Tokio's striking sheathe. He narrowed his eyes, "What are you doing with my sword?"  
  
She pouted, "For your information, I'm only using the sheath. Killing people is for morons who can't find a better answer to things."  
  
He smirked, brushing her aside, "She says this, yet says she's going to kill me."  
  
She gasped, "Where'd you hear that?"  
  
"You threaten me daily, Miss Tokio."  
  
"Ah, you're right."  
  
He yanked the sheath out of her hands. "Did you bring a change of clothes?"  
  
She shook her head, "Nope. I'm just staying the night. I thought I'd just lay right here," she rocked on her heels, "Yep, on the cold bare floor. Looks kinda dirty, and most hosts would clean it for their guests, but I ain't complaining."  
  
He sat down, "Good. I'd hate to get out of my way to make you comfortable."  
  
Tokio grumbled, as he lay out his futon. He yawned; tonight was pretty long. He reconsidered the thought on Hakode. He hadn't been to the hot springs ever. He never had the time to. He removed his jacket, and turned, dropping it next to his closet. He turned, hearing something fall, and saw Tokio sprawling out on his futon.  
  
He frowned, "Off."'  
  
Tokio curled into a ball, "Mmmmmm, soooo much softer than my futon. You buy the good stuff!"  
  
He nudged her, "Do I have to kick you off?"  
  
She pouted, "Aww, what's wrong? You don't like girls?"  
  
He narrowed his eyes even more (how small can they get, and still look evil?!) She grinned, winning, and curled back into a ball. Suddenly, she felt the futon slip out beneath her, and she felt the cold hard floor on her body. She frowned turning, "Hey!!"  
  
He had yanked the futon out from under her like some people do to dining cloths and plates. The same affect. He knelt down, and she jumped on it again. He frowned, "You're very lucky considering I wouldn't strike a woman."  
  
She stuck her tongue at him, "Mmmmnn!! You're lucky I don't feel like talking to you until I'm bored. Cause believe me, it's been a good long time since I had a nice girl talk, and I'm suspecting you're not one to talk about cute guys and periods, are you?"  
  
Saito was speechless for a while. He shook his head, "Okay, now you're annoying me."  
  
"I'm not annoying, I'm cute." She grinned.  
  
"So she says...." He ducked under her kicking leg, "Yare yare.... kicking isn't exactly cute."  
  
She frowned, and sat Indian style. "Fine. I don't like your futon anyways, it smells like you. Cigarettes and guy smell."  
  
"Thank you. If I ever forget what I smell like I'll ask you."  
  
"Jerk."  
  
"Hnh. Moron."  
  
"You're supposed to be a policeman! What happened to common courtesy?"  
  
He barked a laugh, and laid down on his futon, "Is taking in a woman for a night and offering her my bed supposed to be common courtesy?"  
  
".............. uh...................... yes?"  
  
He rolled over on his side. "Good night, Miss Tokio. If you want a futon that bad, I have a clean one in my closet. I believe you know where it is from going through my things earlier."  
  
She blushed, "Ah heh heh.... maybe....."  
  
She crawled to the door, and slid it open. The whole mess she left in the closet was reorganized back to where everything should be. The door was replaced. She could tell, it was a brighter color than the walls. She pulled out the futon from the top box, and laid it on the floor, near the wall. Away from him. She grumbled as she laid down, "Jerk.... won't even help me make the bed..."  
  
She undid her hair pins, and stuffed her hair under her head as a makeshift pillow. She looked at him, dropping her pins to the side of the futon, "Hey, you're sleeping in your clothes."  
  
He sighed, "No, if I WERE sleeping now, I'd be a very happy man."  
  
"Sleeping in your day clothes is gross. You sweat in those all day!"  
  
"And you don't?"  
  
"I changed before I got here. What's your excuse?"  
  
"I work in three hours."  
  
"Ah. I see. Ya know, maybe you should get a different job. Like chef!"  
  
"You know Miss Tokio, the only thing that's stopping me from throwing you out is one more remark from you."  
  
She frowned, then looked back up at the ceiling. She sighed. The place was not that bigger than her's, and even though he had more stuff than her, he kept it all very neatly. She just threw things where ever there was space. He seemed very tidy. And the cigarette smell wasn't bothering her that much anymore. She jiggled her leg, thinking this over.  
  
What exactly was she doing here? She wanted to get close to him, and learn everything about him. She nearly giggled, thinking 'Good job, Tokio! You've just become Saito's number one stalker!' She sighed, putting her hands under her head. Of course, after he left tomorrow, he'd no doubt kick her out. Well, she'd just have to sneak in again, she did it before.  
  
Suddenly, she felt her face turn. She found herself, looking at him. He was not wearing a blanket, and slept with his head resting on his left shoulder. His leg arm lay strait across, onto the floor. With his back to her, she couldn't see his face. His other arm was in front of him, and one leg lay over the other. She took in the way he dressed. He wore only a black t-shirt, a belt, blue pants, and white socks. She felt herself blush, remembering how much she liked European styled clothing. He had very broad shoulders, and a long body. She put her hand to her mouth, suppressing a giggle. What if he snores in his sleep?  
  
"Go to sleep, Tokio."  
  
She gulped, and nodded. And turned over. Why would she want to look at his scrawny butt, anyways? 


	12. Sun Shiny Day

**Pechan is disclaiming creating Rurouni Kenshin.  
  
~ Sun Shiny Day ~  
  
Tokio woke up when a ray of sun hit her eyes. She groaned, shielding her face. She yawned and stretched, sitting up. She smacked her lips, and her eyes widened.  
  
She was in Goro's house, but he wasn't there.  
  
She groaned, "Aw, damn! I was really lookin' forward to how he looks in the morning." Since most people looked notoriously worse in the morning. Her mouth tasted funny, and she wiped it. It was slightly sticky, and she nearly screamed.  
  
She was drooling in her sleep!!  
  
She beat her head on the floor, "Oh, you stupid stupid baka!!!! HE MUSTA BEEN LAUGHING THE WHOLE MORNING!!"  
  
She scrubbed her mouth with her sleeve. Oh, she'd never hear the end of this........  
  
After she straitened her kimono, fixed her hair as best as possible, she folded the futon. She slipped it back into the closet, where had already placed his. On top of his futon, she found a note:  
  
'Don't take anything.'  
  
She grumbled, crumpling it up. What kind of common criminal did he take her for, anyways?  
  
She had to use her own dinky mirror to do her make up, since he didn't have one. (what kinda idiot doesn't a have a mirror in their house?) When she decided she was presentable, she closed his door behind her, and walked to the Shirobeko.  
  
~~Later, Inside the Police Station~~  
  
Saito leaned back in his chair, smoking a cig and reading the letter that just came to him. It turns out Hakode really needed him after all. Now. Ten men need to be killed. He could just burst in the room, and take them, all at once. But that would be hard. First off, it's a hotel. Room service and everything. And Saito had orders not to show his face. What that was don't go slaying them with civilians seeing his face. Logically, word would get out Goro Fujita was killing people. Plus, it would make most people suspicious of him. That would complicate his job a little more, but then again, what did he care what people think?  
  
He inhaled the smoke. Then again, the last thing he needed was a whole mess of Revolutionist going for Hajime Saito's head. nothing he could handle, but he was not in the mood to start battling for survival. Maybe some other time.  
  
He stuck the cigarette in his mouth, and stood up from his chair.  
  
What he could do, is create a diversion, and pick them off one by one. That would be simplest. What kind of distraction should it be? He looked back down at the dossiers. The medicine man routine wouldn't work. That went well with going from house to house, but to go to a business building would be rather odd. Perhaps if he sent someone to haggle with the prices? How were their minds on money? Obviously, they valued it very much. Perhaps if a rich man offered them money for different things, pulling them aside-  
  
Saito groaned, rubbing his forehead. Why couldn't they just let him charge in and do what he did best?  
  
KrrKSSSHHHHH!!!  
  
Saito jerked his head to the sound of breaking pottery from outside. He looked out the window, where a man holding a purse was running for dear life. Suddenly, Tokio appeared, holding a broken sake bottle, and charged for him. Miss Sae was right behind her, shouting, "Oh, Tokio!! It's okay, you don't have to get so rash-"  
  
Tokio waved the sake bottle at him, "LOUSY THEIF!! TAKING MY FRIEND'S MONEY, WILL YA?!!"  
  
The thief screamed, "Jeez, lady-AAAGH!!"  
  
Tokio had thrown the bottle, and it cracked his elbow. His arm jolted, and he grasped it, dropping Sae's purse. He continued running, but was slowing down, and that's when Tokio pounced on him.  
  
Saito smirked, leaving his room. What a perfect way to screw up those criminals lives. He could just send them her.  
  
~~Back to Tokio~~  
  
She grinded her knee into his spine. He screamed, "Aaaiii, sorry!! I'M SORRY!!"  
  
Tokio laughed, "Hah!! Good!! Now, SING how sorry you are!!"  
  
Sae sighed, as Goro stepped behind her, "Ah, what did I miss?"  
  
"Oh, Mr. Fujita! Sorry, I offered Tokio some sake, since it was her day off, and after a bottle, this man uhh, he ran off with my purse. So she took off after him. I told her it was no big deal, there wasn't even 1oo yen in there, but she wouldn't listen! Oh, you're not going to arrest her for beating that poor man up, are you?"  
  
Goro looked at her, then at Tokio, who was twisting the thief's arm, making him sing a high pitched F# chord.  
  
He smiled, "No, I don't think I will." He raised his voice, "Miss Tokio! Fancy seeing you here. Causing a disturbance. Again."  
  
She hiccupped, "Quiet, Fujita!! I'm arresting this man for public indecency!!"  
  
"Public indecency?"  
  
"Hell yeah!! He can't sing for cr@p!!"  
  
The crowd that had gathered around laughed. The thief whimpered. Goro sighed, coming to her, "Thank you, Miss Tokio. I think you've proven your point. Now, get off him before I arrest you for a public disturbance."  
  
"Public disturbance?" she asked incredulously. She giggled, and turned to the crowed, releasing the guy's arm, "Hey, am I disturbing you people!?"  
  
They all cheered, and one guy whistled, "Shake it, Tokio!!"  
  
She giggled, and hiccupped, turning back to him, "See? They love me."  
  
"Great. You might want to tighten your kimono, your right breast is practically hanging out."  
  
Actually, the cloth slipped just above her nipple, so nothing could really be seen. Embarrassing none the less. She blushed, and pulled her clothes tighter to her. Sae laughed, coming behind her, "See, Tokio? I told you, you shouldn't cause such a scene."  
  
A policeman who was laughing the whole way through finally sighed, arms up, "Okay people, get back to work. Nothing to see here."  
  
Sae patted her shoulder, "Now, let's get you back home!'  
  
"Home? I don't wanna' go home! I'm sick of home!! I want to get out of this place. It's fulla... uhh, fulla jerks and people who want to piss me off." She hiccupped, then smiled, patting Sae's head, "'Cept you, Sae. You're my buddy."  
  
Sae giggled, still pulling her home, "Why, thank you, Miss Tokio."  
  
Goro got in step with them, "Would you be willing to go to Hakode, Miss Tokio?"  
  
"Hot springs? In a flash. Why, did my house explode?"  
  
"I was wondering if you'd go with me."  
  
Tokio tripped. Sae clapped her hands together, "Oh, how sweet of you Mr. Fujita! Isn't that nice, Tokio? I always thought he was the guy for you."  
  
Tokio jumped back up, "You kidding me, Sae?! It's obvious he's going to kill me where there are no witnesses!!"  
  
Sae tilted her head, "In a hot spring?"  
  
Tokio hiccupped, "Damn straight!"  
  
Sae giggled, "Tokio, this is the last time I give you a whole bottle of sake."  
  
"Actually," said Goro, "It was a matter of business, and I had promised Miss Tokio she could come."  
  
She leaned on Sae's shoulders, "That's right! He owes me big time. Alright, hot springs here I come!"  
  
Sae patted her back again, "Alright Tokio, here's your stop. Now, you better not go around town anymore, ya hear? I don't want you to get any trouble."  
  
Tokio gave a thumb's up, leaning on her door. It slid open, and she fell inside, "Whoop!" she giggled.  
  
Goro smiled, "She's not a very good drinker, is she?"  
  
Sae sighed, "You could say that again, Mr. Fujita. Maybe you ought to teach her to stop drinking. I mean, you stopped drinking yourself."  
  
Goro bowed, "Thank you for helping her home, Miss Sae."  
  
"Oh, don't mention it. Well then! I guess I better get back to work. Good bye, Mr. Fujita! Have a lovely time at the hot springs!"  
  
"Good bye, Miss Sae." he said, waving.  
  
"Bye bye!" waved Tokio from where she lay.  
  
Goro came over, leaning on the door jam. "Can I expect you to be ready tomorrow before noon?"  
  
"Sure. What time?"  
  
"Do you have a clock? I plan on leaving a half hour before ten."  
  
Tokio sat up, crossing her legs. "Sure. I -hic!- I'll be ready by then."'  
  
He smiled, "You're not going to wake up tomorrow and forget this since your drunk, right?"  
  
"Course not! What kinda drunk d'you take me for?!" she put her hand to her mouth to suppress a burp. She got up, "I'll see you at nine thir-whooaa..!" she wobbled, and fell forward.  
  
He didn't mean to catch her, but she ended up in his arms anyways. How awkward, he thought.  
  
She looked up at his face, and smiled, "You're so handsome, you know that?"  
  
He smiled slowly, "You're so drunk, you know that?"  
  
She giggled, "Who cares? You look nicer when I'm drunk."  
  
"Thanks," he replied flatly.  
  
Her fingers tightened on his elbows, "You're funny. Did I ever tell you that? You make me laugh a lot. I like guys who make me laugh. I get a nice tingly feeling all over. Do you?"  
  
Goro sighed, stepping in, so the neighbors wouldn't get any funny ideas. "Here, let's get your bed set up."  
  
She pouted, and pressed her face into his chest. He let go, "Tokio-"  
  
But she didn't fall. She had her hands on the front of his jacket, and she clung on, "Shut up. I'm enjoying myself."  
  
Saito sighed. He couldn't deny that this felt somewhat nice. She wasn't groping him feverishly, and this did feel nicer than her usual trying to hit him. But, it felt out of place. She should be yelling at him. Plus, what kind of police man would he be? Taking advantage of a drunk lady like that. He put his finger on her shoulder, gently pushing her away, "Okay, that's enough, Tokio."  
  
She tightened her fingers a bit, scrunching her shoulders to her neck. "No. I like it here."  
  
He frowned. He had his fingers on her shoulders. And when she hunched them just now, he could feel a great deal of muscle bunch up under her skin. She wasn't overly muscled, but there was a hint that she did know how to throw a punch. He had seen it with his own eyes. He wondered, how far did her training go? And maybe she could be more useful than he thought.  
  
"Tokio, I have to get back to work."  
  
She giggled, and pressed herself to him. "Too bad."  
  
Goro suddenly smiled, and put his hand behind her neck.  
  
She gasped, and his lips pressed against hers. She went numb. Oh God, he was..... he was kissing her!! Her eyes widened, as she felt his tongue slip into her mouth.  
  
HOLY CR@P!!  
  
She broke away, "WHOA WHOA, TIME OUT!!" she exclaimed, tumbling into her wall. She woozily got back up, "H-Hey, what the.... was that what I think I felt?!!"  
  
Goro wiped his mouth, "You're teeth."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Goro looked down at her. "When I first noticed you, I saw your arms were too firm for a normal woman's, and your reactions to quick. Far above normal. When you punched that man in the restaurant, it could have been a lucky shot. But no, you repeated the same uppercut again. And that kick to the face to the man a while back in the jail. And you just tackled that thief by hooking your legs around him so he tripped. Not many people do that to defend themselves."  
  
Tokio blushed, her eyes widening.  
  
"Just now, I felt around your mouth, and you're missing a molar."  
  
Tokio stared at him, not believing what she was hearing.  
  
"The only way you can lose that particular molar, is by getting hit repeatedly in the jaw a certain away. Or, by always trying to dodge straight blow, and having the fist glance off the side of your jaw line."  
  
Tokio gulped.  
  
"So tell me. Did you learn to fight purely for self defense or for some other reason?"  
  
Tokio stared up at his eyes, which had shed a layer of kindness. They were critical, and analyzing her every move. She looked away.  
  
"Well?"  
  
".... Well........ you see...." she sighed, out of excuses, "I really don't wanna' talk about it!"  
  
"Really?" Goro mused, "I don't pry into people's business, but if there are people harming civilians-"  
  
"NO!! Not at all!! I just don't wanna' say. I keep secrets. You know, these lips are sealed."  
  
"It's against the law to lie to a police officer, you know."  
  
She wanted to tell him he wasn't a police officer. "You don't count."  
  
"Why is that?" he asked.  
  
She smiled, and looked up at him, "You kissed me."  
  
"And?"  
  
"A kiss means something, you silly."  
  
"Not unless both people were planning it and wanted it."  
  
"You didn't want it? You're the one that grabbed me, Mr. Grabby Hands!!"  
  
"To confirm my suspicions."  
  
"So? There could've been an easier way."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. You could've kicked me, and I would've dodged it. Or, you could have bugged me until I hit you. Either way, it required no kissing whatsoever."  
  
Goro crossed his arms, "I see you've sobered up some."  
  
She rubbed her cheek, "Nice touch though."  
  
"Hnh."  
  
"You ever..... ummm, date before?"  
  
"No."  
  
"No?!" she asked, nearly laughing.  
  
He glared back at her. "No. I have not," he said slowly.  
  
"Well..... guess it's okay if I say that was a pretty good kiss."  
  
Goro turned for the door, hand in his pockets, "Really?" he asked, indifferently.  
  
"Mmm hmm. I never knew you could use the tongue!"  
  
Goro smirked, and opened the door, "I thought I explained the reason for that already."  
  
"Sure you did.... all men do when they want to know if a lady knows karate. You French them"  
  
He bowed, "I'll see you at nine thirty, Miss Tokio. Please be ready by then."  
  
"Hey, how long are we staying there?"  
  
"I'm hoping to spend only a day."  
  
"Wha...? Why do you want to leave the hot springs so fast?!"  
  
"I'll tell you on the way. If you come."  
  
She leaned against the door, giggling, "Well, a kiss seals the deal, don't it?"  
  
"Good bye, Miss Tokio. And don't flatter yourself, as I explained already."  
  
She raised her hands, "Yeah, what do I care? Being kissed by some deputy sheriff whatever the hell you are, and I might add is TAKING ME TO THE PLACE I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO, just kissed me for no apparent to see if I punched people. Happens all the time."  
  
"You know, I could always change my mind on bringing you."  
  
"See you at nine thirty!" she sang, closing the door behind her.  
  
~~Later that Night~~  
  
As she packed her bags, Tokio rolled her tongue in her mouth. She could still taste that.... smoky flavor of his mouth. Probably got it from the cigarettes. But then she remembered she hated the bastard, and she drank a cup of water to flush out the taste. 


	13. Briefing and Diamonds

**Pechan is just wondering what would happen if she did claim she owned Rurouni Kenshin? Would people pelt rocks at her?  
  
~ Briefing and Diamonds~  
  
Tokio didn't wake up when someone knocked on her door. She didn't wake up when someone pounded on her door. She did wake up, however, when Goro Fujita nudged her cheek with his shoe.  
  
She growled, eyes still closed, "Ya know, I'd have bitten off your toe if you had your shoes off. By the way, you're supposed to take your shoes off at the door."  
  
"And you're supposed to be up already. It's a good twenty minutes before the train leaves."  
  
She jumped up, stumbling, "What?!! WHY DIDN'T YOU COME SOONER!??"  
  
He shrugged, "Didn't want to disturb your beauty sleep. Most women don't like that."  
  
Tokio groaned, walking over to her closet, "This woman doesn't like you PERIOD."  
  
"Yare yare, so grouchy in the morning."  
  
Tokio laughed, pulling out a yellow kimono, "You'll be seeing me grouchy if you don't get out while I change."  
  
Goro bowed, "Just hurry, Miss Tokio. I especially would hate running after a train."  
  
Tokio nodded, and closed the door behind him.  
  
Outside, Goro leaned against the door, and lit a cigarette. He knew he would need it when she started yelling.  
  
"HEY!!!"  
  
Tokio flung open the door. She was glaring at him, and her bun was only half made, so a black curtain covered half her face. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was wearing a white yukata. Over it, she hadn't tied on her yellow kimono.  
  
Goro smiled, "Is there a problem, Miss Tokio?"  
  
"YOU BET YOUR @$$!!" she yelled, pulling out a pocket watch, "IT'S ONLY EIGHT FRIGGIN' THIRTY!!"  
  
Goro shrugged, "I like to be early. Doesn't everybody?"  
  
She widened her eyes in anger, and then slammed the door. "Fricken fracken cop, comin' to my house, wakin' me up from such a nice dream about that hot guy that works in the ramen bar, damn....." he heard her curse, as she shuffled around her house.  
  
He smoked for a good ten minutes before she slammed open her door. She was dressed in honey yellow, spattered with dainty orange blossoms at the hems and bottoms. Her obi around her waist that held the whole thing together was a rich, blood red with gold lines swirled into circles. Her lips were pouting again, into a red circle, and she glared at him, "I hope the next time you plan to do this, it'll be sometime in the afternoon."  
  
He crushed his cigarette, "You look very lovely today, Miss Tokio."  
  
She blushed, "Well, uhh, thanks, I just- hey, that cheap flirting isn't going to make me any happier!!"  
  
"It just did. Now then, we should get going."  
  
Tokio picked up her bag, "What's the rush? We're only like, oh, an hour early."  
  
"I need to brief you before the trip."  
  
"Brief?"  
  
"Ah, here, I'll get that for you," he said, stooping down, and taking her bag.  
  
She blushed. That kind gesture made her feel so good.............  
  
**HE KILLED YOUR PARENTS!!**  
  
She shook her head, and groaned. She crossed her arms, "So you really ARE going to kill me."  
  
He smiled, "Miss Tokio, please just listen. For two minutes, it's all I ask."  
  
She pulled out a pocket watch, "Fine, but two minutes only. Starting in five...... four...... three...... two...."  
  
"The hotel we're staying at, Hanabi, isn't exactly an ideal vacationing spot. I'm going to Hakode because I was stationed there. The hotel we're staying at if run by Jin Takishi. He used to fight in the Revolution, and he somehow survived. During his survival into the Meiji Era, he has attracted ten people to assist him in his dreams of bringing down the current government. All of them are men, and they all act like workers at the hotel. Three of them are cooks, four of them do room service, and three act as bouncers for the place. During the day they run a respectable business. But at night, they go venting their anger on civilians passing by, stealing their money, or just kill the people staying for the hell of it. They blackmail the locals from reporting them to the police, and the only reason we obtained this information was because a body they dumped into the river wasn't really dead, and told us this before it died. Which explains a lot of missing people from two years ago. Each one of the hotel workers is a skilled assassin, but are idiots none the less. They can't refuse sake, money, or women. Just like any other man. Other than that, it's a very nice hotel with cheap low rates and a male and female hot spring-"  
  
"Hookay!! Two minutes are up!!" she announced, putting away her watch. She fixed her hair, and looked at him, "And....... you're bringing me to a hotel full of ruthless killers whhhhyyyyyyyy.......?"  
  
He smirked, "As I said, they could never resist a woman. And they just happen to be opening a job for a meshimori-onna." (a serving wench, who was expected to do sexual favors on the side)  
  
Tokio laughed, not believing this, "Okay. Say I believe you, and that I do want to go with you. And I do go with you. And through some miraculous divination, I get the job. What the heck's gonna happen to me when the lights go out? I mean, you just said-"  
  
"Calm yourself. I'll be there."  
  
She scoffed, "That's supposed to be comforting?"  
  
"I can protect you fairly well, Miss Tokio."  
  
She stopped. "Fairly well. Don't you mean perfectly well?"  
  
"If you noticed, I said they only take in assassins. You have shown me enough body language and movement that you are pretty good with your hands and feet. I'm partially relying on your combat skills for you to survive."  
  
She sweated, "Gee, thanks for your faith in me."  
  
"You'll do fine. Just tell them you used to kill people, show a little leg, and you're hired."  
  
Tokio shook her head, "And what makes you think I'll say 'yes'? They could kill me!!"  
  
"They could. But as I said, I'll be there."  
  
Twice he said that. And twice Tokio's heart skittered with gleeful warmth. She was going to punch herself if it didn't quit it soon.  
  
She sighed, and crossed her arms again, "Listen Fujita, I'm...... I'm not doubting y-your skills or anything, but I'm no good at being um...... man- handled."  
  
He smirked, "They won't man-handle you, Miss Tokio."  
  
"This coming from the man who kissed me-"  
  
"Every time you say that, I regret it."  
  
"Liar liar lliiiiiiiiaaarr......" she sang, giggling.  
  
They approached the train station (boy, they got there quick!!) Tokio looked at him, "Where's your bag?"  
  
"I already had it loaded."  
  
"You have a lot of stuff?"  
  
"Perhaps," he said, handing the ticket agent his tickets. Tokio glanced at them, before they went in the man's pocket.  
  
The ticketer pointed, "Ah, you're train is currently being cleaned. Please feel free to wait here until then. Would you like me to take your bag and load it in the mean time?"  
  
Goro bowed, "Ah, please. Thank you."  
  
As a few men took Tokio's bag, and loaded it with a few others, she turned to Goro, "Where those first class tickets?"  
  
Goro stuck his hands in his pockets, "Walk with me."  
  
She shrugged, matching his pace.  
  
"Would you like to hear more?" he inquired ever so politely. In his Fujita way.  
  
"Sure. I'd like to know how I'll die."  
  
"You won't die," he replied sternly. She looked up at him. He continued, "I just need you to distract them at least, three at a time. I'll go apprehend the others in the meant time."  
  
"Can't take them on all at once?"  
  
"I was given orders not to cause a big disturbance. This has to be done rather secretively."  
  
"Are other officers going to be there?"  
  
"Yes, they are awaiting my arrival."  
  
She frowned, "You said 'apprehend'. You're going to kill them, aren't you?"  
  
"If they don't submit and attack, I may have no choice."  
  
"Are you..... going to be all by yourself?"  
  
"I'll have an attack team of three behind me. If they submit, they arrest them."  
  
"If not?"  
  
"Well, I'll just have to keep them from attacking the other police officers."  
  
She frowned, looking away, "You're........... you're just itching to kill them, huh?"  
  
"Tokio, think about it. For the past two years these men have slaughtered men women and children for money or for pure bloodlust. Would it upset you so much that I killed one of them?"  
  
She sighed, not knowing what to say.  
  
"When you think about it that way, I promise you, it doesn't bother as much."  
  
"Is that what you do? Pretend they deserve it?"  
  
He stopped, and looked at her. She slowly said, "Does it make your blade sink in them any easier?"  
  
He stared at her, while the rest of the people around them kept waking. They seemed like two rocks jutting out of a river. He sighed, and gingerly patted her shoulder, "Come, let's forget about this."  
  
She sighed, "Yeah, okay........" she looked up," OH!!"  
  
Goro looked up to where she was looking, and saw that candy store she loved. She cursed, "Damn!! I left my wallet in my bag!! Oh oh, Goro!!" she grabbed his sleeve, "Can I borrow some money?"  
  
"Yare yare..... again with candy."  
  
"Can't help it, I got a sweet tooth," she pouted, "Come onnn..... you owe me! You could be sending me to my death later! Pay me back with chokorato."  
  
He sighed, smiling slightly, "You're easy to use."  
  
She took his wallet, sticking her tongue out at him. Then she turned, and walked into the store. She came out later, holding a paper bag. She snapped at him, "It's for the trip, alright?" before he could remark how that could feed an entire family somewhere in Japan.  
  
They walked on, around all the various foreign shops. As Tokio sucked on a peppaminto stick, she asked, "Say, how old are you?"  
  
{{( Forgive me, I'm not good at math, so if this adds up wrong, please punch me in the stomach, not the face~~ Pechan )}}  
  
"I'm twenty seven."  
  
She nodded, popping the stick in her mouth.  
  
"I'd say your around nineteen, or eighteen."  
  
"Close," she shrugged, "I turn nineteen in two months."  
  
After more idle chat and such, Goro turned back to the train station. "Well, we should be boarding now."  
  
Tokio nodded, and followed him, when she stopped. He stopped too, and looked back at her.  
  
She had stopped at the jewelry window again. She had one hand pressed at the glass, and she gazed longingly at the diamond ring.  
  
He noticed she clutched her brown paper bag tighter, and her lips parted slightly. It seemed she really wanted something..........  
  
"Tokio, we're going to be late if you keep staring at it."  
  
She sighed, and turned away, hand still on the glass, "It's the same ring. It's still there."  
  
"It could just be some other-"  
  
"Nuh uh. No diamonds are alike. They all cut differently. And that one's never leaving it's place."  
  
He smiled slowly, "You know about the diamond business? Where did that come from, I wonder?"  
  
She sighed, smiling, and walking to him, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend. Besides, you have any idea what a ring means?"  
  
"In Europe it means the wearer is married. Or vain."  
  
"Hey, a married girl could be vain if she wants!' she pouted.  
  
A train whistled sounded, and Goro walked with a little more wider pace. "If that means the train is leaving, you owe me two first class tickets."  
  
She laughed, "Ah HA!! They WERE first class!! Where do you get the money for those things, anyways?"  
  
He didn't slow down, and Tokio shouted, "Hey, no fair!! You got longer legs than me!! How can I keep up?"  
  
He stopped and grabbed her arm. "Hey, whoa!!" she exclaimed.  
  
She was pulled into his pace, and he dragged her through the crowd, darting in an out between people. She dangled behind him, until they got to the train. The steam was going, and they were the last to board. As they were stepping in, she said, "Uhhh, not complaining or anything, but we're here. You can let go now."  
  
Goro hadn't noticed.  
  
"Oh," he simply said, and dropped her arm. He turned and walked into the train.  
  
Tokio nearly fell over, "Geez, he practically holds my hand all the way here and all I get is an 'Oh'? What a jip."  
  
She shook her head, and stepped into the train, as it whistled, and took off. 


	14. Saito, Hajime

**Pechan would graciously like to thank anybody who is still reading this story, since it feels it's dragging on too long. Thank you thank you thank you so much, you have no idea how much it brightens her day to get a nice review, saying 'nice job' or something like that. It feels especially nicer, considering she doesn't own any of the Rurouni Kenshin franchise.  
  
~ Saito, Hajime ~  
  
"WHOA!!" exclaimed Tokio, as she entered first class. He opened the door to their own private compartment, and she nearly keeled over. Indeed, first class was great. Their room had cushioned seats, and satin curtains. The general color was burgundy and ebony, and even the frame work of the seats were carved.  
  
She giggled, plopping on a seat, "Damn, Fujita!! You always travel like this?"  
  
"Not always," he answered, closing the door. "There is a reason why I decided to get our own private car. So that I may talk to you a bit more freely."  
  
Her heart beat so loud, she was afraid he could hear it.  
  
He sat across from her, unbuttoning the top two buttons on his jacket, "If we were in a regular car, the people around us would here about the whole Hakode plan. I don't want a rat to go ahead of us first."  
  
She fell over, "Oh, I see."  
  
He smirked, "Expecting something more?"  
  
She sighed, rolling up her sleeves, "Noooo, no no no, I'm fine." She ran her fingers over the carving, "Say, are these the kind of compartments that bring food, too?"  
  
"Perhaps, depends on how well you'll cooperate with me."  
  
She laughed, and laid down on the large chair. "Figures, nothing's free," she sighed, placing her hands under her head. She turned her face to him, "So!! What else do I have to know?"  
  
"There was a lay out of the building. I'd like you to, after you get the job, to lure three of them into a room. While your busy entertaining them, we'll pick off the ones somewhere on the other side. We wouldn't want them to go alerting the town or anything," he smirked, "....that'd make the Meiji Government look bad."  
  
"Look bad?"  
  
"Imagine if news spread that the government sent it's own police to raid a hot springs hotel and kill all it's employees."  
  
Tokio frowned, "But, they're evil people!! They deserve what's coming for them, the town knows it!!"  
  
"But Japan doesn't, and tabloids always love bringing the worst in every story," he pulled out a cigarette, and a box of matches. "And people love to hear things bad about the government so that they have a reason to bring it down."  
  
Tokio pouted, "You're gonna smoke in this box?"  
  
"Does it bother you?"  
  
Tokio looked back up to the ceiling. Actually, the smell didn't bother her anymore. In fact, whenever she smelled it, it reminded her of him. She smirked, shrugged, "No, guess it doesn't."  
  
She dipped her hand into the bag, and took out a hard candy. She forgot what it was called, but when she popped it into her mouth, it tasted like sugary orgasm.  
  
"................................ does it now?"  
  
She nearly spit it out, sitting up. She had her hand on her mouth, holding it in, "You heard me?!" she muffled.  
  
Goro let out a thin stream of smoke from the side of his smirk, "You have an odd habit for speaking things unintentionally, Miss Tokio. Perhaps you should see a doctor about that."  
  
Tokio mopped her face with her hand, wishing she could just die, "Ya know, I used to have a normal life. Till I met you."  
  
He smirked, "Do you regret it now?"  
  
She blushed, and sank into her chair, "Maybe." After a few minutes, she put on of her hands on the glass, and watched the trees zip by. She tried counting the ones passing by, until her head shook so much it felt like it was going to fall off. She groaned, "Damn, never knew how much trees can make you dizzy."  
  
"Focus on something farther away. Or close your eyes."  
  
She spied a mountain. Mount Fiji? Ah, she couldn't remember. She wasn't much for geography. But, it made her head spin a little less. But not less enough. She groaned, and put her hand on her forehead, leaning back, "Last time I watch trees," she declared. "I hate the forest. When I get a nice house, it'll be somewhere in the heart of the city."  
  
"Funny. I live in the heart of the-"  
  
She laughed, "Hah!! Don't even finish it."  
  
Goro said nothing, and watched her roll on her side. She laid down with her back to him, her knees bent slightly. She mumbled, "Sorry, but, can I lay here for a few minutes without you talking? My head........"  
  
"Of course, Miss Tokio."  
  
She frowned, "Quit being so polite. It sounds like your mocking me."  
  
"So how should I address you?"  
  
"Tokio's just fine, like you sometimes say."  
  
"Very well, Tokio."  
  
"Mmm," she mumbled, and found herself asleep. Some people fall right asleep on a moving vehicle (Pechan can't stay in a car for more than ten minutes without falling in her partners lap, asleep) Goro stubbed his cigarette in a glass ashtray, and rested his elbows on his knees. He thought over this carefully.  
  
Bringing her could endanger her life. But, he was fairly sure the people weren't dangerous enough for him to handle by himself. Besides, he promised her.  
  
He shook his head leaning back. He rested his head against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. What was he really doing? He usually didn't do stuff like this. He could handle himself. So why was he going out of his way to add her IN his way? He reached for another cigarette, and scratched his match against the wall. He stuck the cigarette in his mouth, and lit it, his eyes falling back to her again. He closed his eyes then opened them.  
  
Hajime Saito wondered why this woman struck his fancy. She was beautiful, but he had seen many pretty women before. Living and dead. Was it her lips, the way they pouted so innocently? Or her eyes? They weren't big and innocent like many women. They were shaped smaller, almond shaped. Her eyes had seen more than she should have, he knew. Those eyes belonged to people who have been on the brink of death and back. Perhaps this was because of her suicide.  
  
Why try to commit suicide in the first place? He watched her curl into a tighter ball, letting a gentle moan/sigh go in her sleep. She said her family had died. He asked her again, and she said they were all dead. Meaning she was the only left. Meaning they were taken away from her, because no one's family dies of a sickness that excludes one. Unless by some miracle........  
  
No. They were murdered. She was a child of the Revolution. Worse, a young girl. She said she was nineteen, so subtracting four years made her fifteen. Children don't know what happens in a war. He had seen innocent babies still in their mother's arms, staring at him. Their face still pertained innocence, and then gurgled as they tugged on the dead mother's hair. Children have no understanding of death. He had seen the corpses of children, still have eyes open wide in surprise with a blade sticking out of their torso. They had no idea what was coming. They felt nothing but surprise. Nothing else, except for a sting.  
  
But fifteen. Tokio was already a teenager, a girl. A young woman. A child that old knows death. They have a vague understanding that death means never seeing someone again. And some already know that is means leaving this world forever. Many were afraid of it. Afraid of the unknown. That is the one primal fear that lingers within a human for the rest of their life.  
  
- "Does thinking they deserve it make your blade sink any easier?" -  
  
Hajime remembered Tokio's words. Why did it bother him? He had words said to him like that before. 'Does killing make you feel stronger?' 'How much did that man deserve death?' and he had ignored them. The first few kills bothered him a bit, but he didn't regret it. He just wished he made the cut cleaner; he had to clean the bloodstains out of his uniform. And those were hard to clean. But no regrets were made.  
  
Hajime frowned, smoking. So why did it bother him when she said it? He pondered, then came up with a solution. Perhaps it was because he was not used to the face she used. She usually was smiling, or pouting. He admitted he liked her pouting, what man doesn't? She had been mad at him before; he remembered the night she broke into his house. Ah, it was the same face. That......... that face, eyes narrowed and full of poison for him. Accusing him. That was it.  
  
He took a long drag. She had been mad, and it had been funny. Cute, even. But he didn't quite like it when she was mad at HIM.  
  
She threw things at him, she said things to him, and she even tried to kick him a few times. None of that bothered him, and in fact it amused him. But................  
  
He pulled the cigarette from his lips, and let out a thin line of smoke to circle above him. That face was used by people who hated. Ah, that must have been it. He can take her anger, but not her hatred.  
  
"Hnh........." he mumbled, cigarette in mouth. Why did it bother him? Many people, men and women, hated the Shinsengumi. He had been cursed at by a young boy, blaming him for his loss. The loss was his father and brother, of course. And his eyes held pure hatred, and retching loathing.  
  
Tokio's eyes were calm, contained. As if waiting. But could this foolish girl be possibly planning?  
  
A light knock came at the door.  
  
"Come in," he called.  
  
A waiter opened the door, and bowed, "Excuse me, but we are almost at the stop to Hakode."  
  
Goro nodded, "Thank you, sir."  
  
The waiter bowed out of the compartment, and closed the door. Hajime stubbed his cigarette, and leaned back into his seat. He looked back at Tokio, who was waking up. She moved a lot in her sleep. Her lips were parted again, and her chest rose and fell with her breathing. Her bun became loose, causing black loops and curves to seem perfectly placed for a picture. One of her hands dangled over the chair, and one knee was bent. He noted she had thin ankles and wrists. Hard to believe she could knock someone out with those. In fact, her body was so thin, it surprised him how she could take a hit. She looked so frail. No, frail didn't seem to be a word that suited her. Delicate, more like.  
  
He shook his head. He can watch her some other time. Right now, he had a job to do. He stood, and gently bent over her sleeping form, "Tokio."  
  
She didn't stir. He snapped his fingers, "Tokio."  
  
She didn't move.  
  
He coughed into his hand, and kicked her chair. The response was her turning in her sleep, mumbling, "....cho.....kora ......to....."  
  
He smiled. She'll be fat one of these days, dreaming of candy.  
  
He turned away, and unbuttoned his jacket. Tokio was a strong woman, who refused to bend to the will of others. In all his time of knowing, she suffered two incidents that would usually toss a woman into silent despair. But she had pulled through.  
  
He dropped his jacket on the chair, and reached up to the compartment on the walls. He pulled out a box, and opened it on his side of the compartment. The lid fell, and he pulled out navy blue haori and gray hakama. He glanced over his shoulder to Tokio. Just to make sure..........  
  
"Tokio, you have to be the loudest, rudest woman I have ever met who has no chance with any man."  
  
She said nothing, fast asleep.  
  
He smiled, turning again, and unzipped his pants. "Except this one, perhaps." 


	15. Blushing Bride

**Pechan hopes the last chapter wasn't too cheesy. Anyways, she still doesn't own any Rurouni Kenshin characters.  
  
~ Blushing Bride ~  
  
Tokio heard a loud sound. It sounded like a train whistle. What was a train whistle doing in her candy land? Her eyelids fluttered open, and she realized she was in a train. She slowly sat up, and arched her back, stretching.  
  
"Pleasant dreams, Tokio?"  
  
She rubbed her eyes, "You bet. Candy land full of hot men covered in choko- AAAAGH!!"  
  
Tokio jumped, and backed against the wall.  
  
Goro looked at her. "What is it?"  
  
"You're in a haori!!"  
  
"Yes, I am. I didn't know they frightened you so much."  
  
"What happened to your uniform?"  
  
"I changed."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Goro placed his arm on the windowsill. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."  
  
She sighed, and felt her hair. Gah!! It was a tangled mess!! Her mother always said she moved too much in her sleep. She pulled out her pins, and began to make the whole thing again. "When did you change?"  
  
"When you were asleep."  
  
She dropped her pins, "You changed.................... here?"  
  
"Yes," he smirked, "There is no reason to blush; you were asleep."  
  
She fell over, and picked up her pins, "I'm not blushing!! It's a skin rash I might have gotten from you!!"  
  
"Calm yourself, Tokio. I didn't do anything, like touch you."  
  
"Liar! I knew you were bad news when you kissed me!!"  
  
"In actuality, you were the one hugging me that night-"  
  
"THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM LOCKING LIPS!!"  
  
Goro looked away, and smoked his cigarette. "That it is."  
  
She sighed, and crossed her legs. After some silence, she asked, "Nothing? You did nothing at all?"  
  
"No."  
  
**Damn. Here I was all hoping he'd-**  
  
'Shut up, conscious!! You're no help!!' she thought. Tokio sighed again.  
  
"Relax, Tokio. I'd never take advantage of a woman."  
  
"I know. The crazy part is, I trust you."  
  
Their eyes locked for a brief moment, before she looked away, blushing again.  
  
"Uhh, was that train whistle for the stop?"  
  
"Yes, they're unloading the passengers now. I thought we should go last and enjoy the privacy a little longer, for I have one last thing to tell you."  
  
She pinned her bun, looking at him through one eye, "I'm pregnant?"  
  
He smirked, "Close. You're going under cover as my wife."  
  
Her eyes could be mistaken for saucers. She stammered, "Y-Your wuh-wife?" she inhaled, than yelled, "WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME BEFORE?!!"  
  
Goro stubbed his cigarette, standing, "I thought it might have upset you, Tokio."  
  
A man opened their compartment, "Mr. and Mrs. Fujita? This is your stop."  
  
Tokio widened her eyes again.  
  
"Oh, congratulations on your wedding, sir. The hot springs is the perfect place for a honey moon."  
  
Goro bowed, "Thank you, sir."  
  
The man bowed, leaving. Goro went to the door way, and stopped. He smirked, "Aren't you going to come, dear?"  
  
Tokio stared at him from the spot where she fell again, "Yeah, gimme sec. I'm gonna kill myself first."  
  
"Yare yare, she acts like it's the end of the world....." he commented, picking her up by her elbow.  
  
She wobbled, "I think I'm sick."  
  
"It's probably from all the candy you eat."  
  
She laughed, "Hah! Yeah right................. hey, what gives? Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I didn't think it'd be important."  
  
"Oh sure. Posing as your wife isn't a big deal. I could do this all day."  
  
"That kind of attitude isn't very becoming for a bride."  
  
She rolled up her sleeve, "Oh, I'll show you becoming......... "  
  
He tugged her sleeve back down as they passed by a few more people. He left his grip there a little longer, tightening it, "I'm only going to tell you this once. I take my job seriously. And if you so much as step one inch out of my plan, I'll see to it that the only job you can get back at Kyoto is the lady that sweeps the cigarette ashes out of my office."  
  
Tokio stared equally as serious in his eyes, and said loudly with a smirk, "Ooooh, you're naughty words make me melt, lover!"  
  
A couple of people raised their heads to that. Goro gripped her shoulder, and pushed her in front of him, "That kind of talk is acceptable. You're very good at this."  
  
Tokio laughed, "Ho, I sure am!! I can't wait to get naked at-"  
  
He covered her mouth with his hand, "Ah, I like the way you get back at me. Embarrassing me isn't going to work though."  
  
Tokio frowned, then tried something.  
  
"And licking my hand isn't going to make me take it off, unless you swear you won't screw this up."  
  
**No problem! I'll just bite your fingers off.......**  
  
"Tokio, I asked you to do this because I do trust you to some degree. Now look at me, and nod. You will NOT ruin this. Because if you do, that accident could cost you your life at the hot springs if they find out. Do you understand me?"  
  
She stared at him.  
  
He had his chest pressed against her back, and his face close to hers as he told her this, so no one would hear. "Tokio, do you understand me?"  
  
She gulped, and nodded.  
  
"Good," he said, taking off his hand and wiping it on her back. "I hope you don't have rabies."  
  
She wiped her mouth, "I never had cigarettes, but I'm wondering, do you smoke them so much it's what you taste like?"  
  
He smiled at her, "I wouldn't know, Tokio, I never tasted myself."  
  
She put her hand to her mouth, holding in her laugh. They got their bags, and set off for the hotel. "How far is it?"  
  
"Considerably far. They live by the outskirts; new comers come that way. Makes their targets easy."  
  
She pouted. He sighed, "Now what?"  
  
"You won't take my bag?" she smiled, "Most husbands do."  
  
"Most wives just nod and smile politely."  
  
"Ha! Just for that we're getting divorced."  
  
He reached out, and took her bag, "Both of my arms are full. If someone were to attack us, it would be rather difficult for me to fend them off."  
  
She giggled, and patted his back, "Awww, don't worry!! Tokio will protect her little husband form all those big mean robbers!!" she looked up at him, and giggled, "Well, not exactly little, are ya...? Heh heh!!"  
  
As they approached the hotel, a young man looked up from the porch he was sweeping. His black hair was cut in bangs above his eyes, and he waved, calling, "Hello there! Welcome to Hanabi! Will you be staying with us for the night?"  
  
Goro bowed, "Thank you, yes we are."  
  
The boy smiled, "And who is this beautiful young lady?"  
  
Tokio blushed, "Oh, I'm.. I'm his ......." she forced out the last word, ".....wife!"  
  
"Ah, you must be lucky sir! None come by as pretty as her."  
  
"Isn't that the truth?" agreed Goro. Tokio stared at him. He sighed smiling, "Where should we check in?"  
  
"The manager is just inside. Please watch your step, the floors might be slippery. I'm doing a bit of cleaning here........"  
  
"Thank you sir," bowed Goro, as he flipped a yen at him. The boy caught it, then cheered, "Hey, thanks!"  
  
Tokio followed after him, "Nice acting. I didn't know you were such a good liar!" she whispered.  
  
"I have to be," he whispered back.  
  
He slid open the door, and it revealed a desk with a man behind it. The man was gray haired, and writing furiously. Goro nudged Tokio, and she coughed into her hand, "U-Umm, excuse us?"  
  
The man looked up, then smiled, "Oh, I didn't hear the door! Are you guests?"  
  
"Yes, my wife and I are hoping to stay here for a night or two."  
  
"Husband and wife, eh? How long?"  
  
"Since last night."  
  
"Hah!" laughed the manager, "I see. Well, kudos to you!! And I must add, such a lovely young lady to be wedding , eh?!" he said, picking up her hand.  
  
Tokio forced a smile, "Ah... ah ha ha!!"  
  
Goro clamped his hand on her shoulder, "She also needs a job. We heard there was an opening for a meshimori-onna?"  
  
Tokio gulped, and nodded, as sexily as she could. **Is that even possible?**  
  
The manager smiled, "Ah, I see. You need the money, huh?"  
  
Goro nodded, "We need to pay back some debts. Can you help us, sir?"  
  
"Well, I'll see what I can do. She'll have to be interviewed alone, though. Would that be okay?"  
  
"Of course! I trust her to DO HER BEST," he added a little loudly to Tokio.  
  
The man was still grasping her hand with his sweaty fingers. She giggled nervously, "I love to cook!!"  
  
The manager clapped, "Ah, good!! We'll call for you in an hour or so. In the mean time, you can relax at the hot springs. Oh, do you need help with your luggage?"  
  
Goro politely shook his head, and picked up his bags, "That is alright. We can manage. Come, dear, let's get going."  
  
Tokio stumbled to keep herself from falling, and smiled at the manager. He licked his lips at her, and she darted into Goro's arms to keep from puking once they left his sight.  
  
He smirked at her, "Scared?"  
  
"Me? Scared?! Of what, a sweaty manager just DYING to see me naked, and there's nothing I can do about it? Oh no, just dandy. In fact, I think all women should do this!! It builds character!"  
  
Goro had his palm against her right shoulder, as her left was pressed against his chest, "Calm down. You'll give yourself wrinkles."  
  
"Did you SEE him?" she whispered furiously.  
  
Goro eyed a man carrying dirty trays and dishes looking at them. He bent down, and put his lips to her temple. She gasped, but then he whispered, "We can talk in a room, away from them. Understood?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
He rubbed her arm again, and gently pushed her passed the man. He opened the door to their room, and led her in.  
  
Once in she pulled away from him, "Oh, how did you talk me into this again?"  
  
He put a finger to his lips, as he pressed himself against the door. He sniffed a few times, then opened it.  
  
The man with the trays was there. He gasped.  
  
Goro smiled, "Is something wrong?"  
  
He got up, and said, "Yeah, why does the lady look so unhappy with you?"  
  
Goro nodded, and looked at Tokio.  
  
She sighed, "Oh, uuh l...... I-I was.... I was ummm........... just ........ so angry he said we couldn't make love right now! 'People might hear us,' he said! And oh look, he was right! Because there you are!" she grinned pointing.  
  
The man blushed, and shifted the tray's weight, "M-My mistake ma'am, I thought you were being forced to uhh, oh, I'm sorry to intrude," he bowed, and got away quickly as possible.  
  
Goro smiled as he slid the door closed. "I must admit, I like your lies, Tokio."  
  
She was laying on the floor, muttering, "Don't get any ideas," she sighed, turning, "Man oh man, I forgot all about the meshimori-onna part! What am I supposed to do?"  
  
"They'll call you after dark. All their extra curricular activities take place at night."  
  
She groaned, "I thank you again for bringing me to these lovely hot springs, Goro. Someday I'll pay you back with a nice swift kick in the @$$."  
  
He sat, and handed her bags to her. "Don't worry, Tokio. As I said, I'm here."  
  
She opened her bag. "Oh yeah, I feel better now."  
  
He threw open his bag, and his katana lay on top of his clothes. She widened her eyes, and exhaled, "Soooooooooooooo much better."  
  
He buried it under his clothes, "You act as if it'll be used to kill you."  
  
She shook her head, taking out a yukata, "Well, you just ruined my life, might as well end it."  
  
He nodded, "That's true. Now listen up, I don't anyone to hear."  
  
She came to him, her back nearly touching his, "What? Is it about the mission thingy?"  
  
"All of the men you saw are assassins. I don't want you to get angry with them, or anger them. Instead, whatever they do, laugh and approve it. Gain their trust a little. Make them think you're some stupid meshimori-onna that would get in their pants for a job."  
  
"................................. what if they want me to prove it?"  
  
He shrugged, "See how long you can keep them at bay with your clothes on. That should give us time."  
  
"Us. You said there were others?"  
  
"Yes, but they're outside at the moment. None of them are to be dressed as police men. As I said before-"  
  
"Yeah yeah, people would freak to see the police kill a bunch of innkeepers. Gotcha." She looked at him nervously, "But Goro, what...... what if something goes wrong?"  
  
"Trust me."  
  
"I do trust you. But what if I mess up? Unintentionally?"  
  
He glanced at her, then said, "You'll do fine. I believe I've said that already." He ran his hands through his hair, "Leave everything to me. Just distract them."  
  
"While you kill the others."  
  
"............. yes. While I kill the others."  
  
She sighed, and stood, "Fair enough, I guess." She turned to him, laying her yukata on her, "Does this yukata match my eyes?"  
  
"Doesn't matter. You'll be naked in the hot springs anyways."  
  
**I hope you all realized, the reason he was grabbing her the whole way and even kissed her was to play the part of a husband. OR MAYBE NOT? (nah, Saito doesn't give in that easily.) 


	16. Intermission

**THIS IS THE DISCLAIMER TO PECHAN BEING INVLOVED WITH ANY OF THE RUROUNI CHARACTERS INTAMETLY  
  


* * *

  
~ Intermission ~  
  
Tokio opened the gate to the woman's hot springs. Just as she hoped, it was completely empty. She closed the door behind her, and stepped into the mist. She had never been to a hot springs in all her life, but everyone said you had to go at least once per life time. She dipped her hand in the water, and sighed. It felt even better than a hot bath!! She looked around again, making sure no one was watching her (although she didn't doubt some of the holes in the walls lead to the manager's room) and she untied her yukata robe. It fell around her ankles, and she stepped into the water. It boiled, but, oh, it was soooooooooooooooooo good. She couldn't help but sigh again, smiling, as she sank all the way to her shoulder. She leaned against the wall, her head against it.  
  
She reached out and put a wet towel on her head. Once more, she just had to sigh, letting the vapor swirl around her face. She stared up at the blue sky, and whispered, "This is the life....."  
  
She heard the door creak open, and she instantly turned her head. But it was closed, as if nothing touched it. She muttered, "Of course, this is MY life, since all the good things keep getting interrupted."  
  
She craned her neck, looking. Was she just imagining it? Well, the lock was in place. No one could have gotten in, unless they were lock pickers.  
  
**Most assassins usually are.**  
  
She squealed, "GAH!! HOW'D THEY KNOW?!!"  
  
"IT'S CAUSE YOUR TOO UGLY!!"  
  
Tokio screamed, when a young woman pounced on her. Tokio instantly kneed the assailant, but the woman giggled, and blocked her kick.  
  
Tokio widened her eyes, "What the....... REI?!!"  
  
A short, browned eyed woman with a bobbed hair cut grinned at her, "Hey, you remembered me!!"  
  
Remember Rei? She was one of the girls in Tokio's assassin class.  
  
Tokio sighed, and clutched her chest, "Don't DO THAT!! You nearly gave me a heart attack!!"  
  
Rei laughed, "Hah! Good!! I always wanted to surprise, I could never do it before!!" she hugged Tokio, "Oh, it makes me so happy to see one of you guys again!!"  
  
Tokio blushed, "Uhhh, that's great, Rei...... ummmmmmmmmm, mind taking your boob off mine?"  
  
Rei looked down, "Oh, sorry!!"  
  
She giggled, and sank into the water, a good foot away. Tokio smiled, remembering Rei was the youngest, two years younger than herself. She had also been the littlest, but now..........  
  
"Geez, Rei when did you get so.......... sooooooo.............................. big?"  
  
She giggled, "I grew!! My luck, huh? All those time you guys teased me about it and POOF!! Here they are!!" she grinned evilly, "Though you're looking nice and plump yourself."  
  
Tokio covered her chest, crossing her arms, frowning, "Don't mention it," she blinked, "But what are you doing here?"  
  
Rei curled her finger, motioning to come forward. Rei whispered so daintily, "I know your little seeeecreeeeeeet," she sang.  
  
Tokio narrowed her eyes, "Wha.....?"  
  
"You're here to kill the inn keepers, arencha'?"  
  
Tokio frowned, "So what if I was"  
  
Rei giggled, pulling away, "Look, don't get angry! See, I was going to get these guys earlier, but then I found out about some attack team coming, so I figured my job's done."  
  
Tokio whispered, "Your job's done? What do you-"  
  
"I had a boy friend. Last year, he came here to make reservations. They noticed he had nice clothes, and asked for more money. He refused, and, well the details are kinda hazy. Heard he accidentally opened a closet with bloody blades. And stuff."  
  
Tokio widened her eyes, "They killed.......?"  
  
"Killed 'em faster than a Shinsengumi does away with government officials," she smirked, drawing a line across her neck with her finger. "So, I thought I'd get back. But you guys are doing that for me. So, thanks a million!"  
  
Tokio frowned, "You're not going to get revenge?"  
  
She shrugged, "Why should I? You're doing it for me. As long as they die, I don't care." Rei rubbed her neck, "Oh yeah, I forgot, you always wanted revenge firsthand."  
  
Tokio looked away, silently.  
  
"Never got to ask you about that. How'd it go?"  
  
"Ummm?"  
  
"The job. Did you get it done? You must have, you were the best. And you're still alive."  
  
Tokio bit her lip, and mumbled, "Well....... it's a work in progress."  
  
Rei stared at her, "Say what?!"  
  
Tokio pressed her finger to Rei's lips, "Listen, you gotta keep your mouth shut!! The guy I'm after is with me, and if you so much as HINT to him in some STUPID way-"  
  
Rei backed off, arms in surrender, "Okay okay, got it. You're kill, not mine to touch. Anyways, I'm leaving soon."  
  
"What for?"  
  
"Like I said, you guys are getting the job done for me. And this place get's awfully ugly at night, I hear," she chuckled. She held out her hand, "It was good seeing you again."  
  
Tokio reached out, and shook it. Shaking hands was a practice only done in her dojo. "Yeah, tell Chisa and the others I'm doing great."  
  
"Hah! That's a laugh. They're all dead."  
  
"Huh....?"  
  
Rei nodded, "that's' right, they failed their mission. It ended up costing them more than a pay cut. Sensei's not doing to good to. He talks about you. He wonders where his little Tokio ventured off to."  
  
"I..........I see."  
  
Rei stood up out of the water, her body glistening with moisture. She picked up a yukata she dropped by a rock, "Oh, and just between you and me. Never fall in love with your prey."  
  
"What are you-"  
  
"I was leaving today until I saw you two check in. this is very unprofessional of you, Tokio, getting involved." She smirked, tying her sash, "When are you gonna kill him? After you've had his kid?"  
  
Tokio frowned, standing, "Rei, don't ever-"  
  
But Rei frowned, "I'm just saying Tokio, it's not a good idea. I mean, I loved the guy I had to kill once. I cried my heart out as I stabbed his. Believe me, the feeling............" Rei looked away, "Never goes away.......... I nearly tried to follow him, but I kept getting favors from people to take care of other people."  
  
Rei removed the towel on her head, "Good bye Tokio. Maybe next time we can drink over sake and talk about old school days, eh?" she laughed, as she left.  
  
Tokio slowly sank back in the water, eyes wide. She bit her lip, then stared back into the sky. A cloud covered up the red sun.  
  
"I'll kill him.... when I'm good and ready......"  
  
**Rei and Tokio act very much alike, since they were trained and raised by the same man. I did that on purpose, it's not like I was running out of character personalities. 


	17. Green to Red

**Pechan disclaims still. So sorry if this one sucks, she admits it was rushed so fast. She apologizes for updating a little later than usual. She owns nothing of Rurouni Kenshin.  
  
~ Green to Red ~  
  
Tokio opened the door to her room, were Goro was sitting. He had a piece of paper in his hands. He looked up.  
  
"Enjoy yourself?" he asked, indifferently.  
  
She nodded, "Yeah, then some lady bugged me. So I had to get out."  
  
He was looking at his paper, and mumbled, "Sorry to hear that."  
  
"Yeah right, like you listen to anything I say," she said, bending over to her bag.  
  
"I do," he said, putting the paper down. "Are you ready?"  
  
She sat on her heels and sighed, pouting, "And there is absolutely NO WAY for you to get round this?"  
  
He smiled at her, "Absolutely none. Where would be the fun in that?"  
  
She sighed, and opened her bag, "Alright, let's see what we got in here.........." She pulled out a green kimono and a blue one, "Okay, which one makes me look sluttier?"  
  
He leaned against the wall, bending one knee for his arm to rest on, "In my opinion, green. It brings out your eyes."  
  
She gulped, and tried to force down her mind screaming, **HE NOTICES MY EYES!!**  
  
"Although," he smirked, "Maybe red would match your blushing skin more fittingly?"  
  
"Oh, shut up," she said, pulling out the green one. Actually, she did like this one. It had aqua fish swimming in the seams at the bottom, and crystal blue thread laced in and out for water. She smiled, and pulled out a set of ivory pins. Two had pearls fastened in them, the biggest one held an ornate jade carving of a cat.  
  
She looked at him, "Well?"  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"This isn't a free show! Go wait outside while I change."  
  
Goro smirked, standing, "Yare yare, my wife's afraid to undress in front of me but will do so for a job interview-"  
  
He ducked under a flying wooden geta, and closed the door behind him. Out there, he lit a cigarette, and leaned against the door. It was going to grow dark soon. The boy sweeping the porch earlier walked by, carrying two buckets of water, "Ah, sir? Is there something wrong with the room?"  
  
He smiled, "No, not at all. My wife doesn't like the smell of the smoke, so I smoke outside."  
  
"Oh, I see. Well, just to let you know, the manager said he could interview her anytime after six."  
  
Goro bowed, "Thank you, I will tell her."  
  
The boy returned the bow, and set about his business. Anyone would've thought he was hauling buckets of water. Saito could see the shine of a blade in the bottom of the bucket. He was bringing weapons back and forth concealed. He narrowed his eyes, smiling a bit, and stuck the cigarette back into his mouth.  
  
There was a tap at the door. He turned, "Yes?"  
  
"Come here, tell me how this looks."  
  
He slid open the door, and looked at Tokio. Her green fish kimono perfectly outlined the curves of her body. She tied it tighter to show more of the indent in her waist, and she made her lips shine with a different kind of lipstick than she usually wore. Her hair was combed and swept into a two part bun, and her pins angled in graceful points. She had her long slender fingers clasped together, in an innocent pose, and her green eyes seemed to positively shine.  
  
She batted her eyelashes, thickened by make up, "Well? Any good?"  
  
He closed the door, "For a woman of your criteria, I'd say so."  
  
She laughed, turning around to look at her little mirror, "Yeah, I guess any prostitute would kill to have looks like mine."  
  
Goro stood next to her, "The broom boy told me to tell you the manager will be waiting after six."  
  
She sighed, "It's five thirty."  
  
"Then you have plenty of time to practice your act."  
  
She looked up at him from where she was kneeling. He turned away slightly, noticing she was showing a bit of cleavage, "And you promise you'll be there? In case anything happens?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, I already said I would."  
  
She got up, and sighed, walking passed him. She crossed her arms, "Just to let you know. If I die tonight, I entirely blame you, and I will haunt you for the rest of my ghostly existence!!"  
  
"..................really."  
  
"And I won't be the funny 'ha ha' kind of ghost that turns into a stupid umbrella! I'll be the kind that jumps out the toilet to scare you whenever you have to do your business, so you'll be too scared to do it again!!"  
  
".................... an otearai yurei?" (toilet ghost)  
  
"Precisely."  
  
He sighed, crossing his arms, and closing his eyes, "Well, I admit, that would be pretty scary, seeing your face."  
  
She laughed, "Good. So you better not screw up, okay?"  
  
"I never screw up. You're the one I carried back to the hospital twice. Remember?"  
  
She grimaced, turning away, "Don't remind me."  
  
Goro nodded, and then undid his top. Tokio jumped, "Hey, not here!!"  
  
It slid off, and under it he had his black shirt.  
  
She sighed.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you."  
  
She stuck her tongue at him, "Conceited bigot."  
  
"Idiot."  
  
"Jerk."  
  
"Moron."  
  
There was another knock. Tokio gasped, looking at Goro. He quickly got up against the wall next to the door. So whoever stood in front of it couldn't see him.  
  
Tokio gulped, and slid open the door. A tall man with glossy black hair tied into a ponytail grinned at her. "Hullo! You must be the new girl! Ready for the interview?"  
  
Tokio smelled fish on him, "S-Sure am, stud!!"  
  
"Great!" he exclaimed, grabbing her behind the waist, "Let's get to the manager's room."  
  
She stuck her head in the door way, mouthing silently at Goro, "You are SO DEAD!!"  
  
He smiled, and quickly dressed into his uniform. If they wanted this done fast, they had to start picking them off now. He left his hakama on, and pulled his katana out of his bag. He came to the back of the wall, the one that faced the outside of the hotel, and sliced it open. There, it was empty. Save for a cluster of trees and bushes. The shadows also masked anything else that might be hiding there.  
  
"Ah, Saito, sir!"  
  
He turned, where an officer stood, holding a saber, "Allow me to introduce myself, I am-"  
  
"Ujiki, I know," Saito answered for him. He turned, and motioned with his hands, "Keep silent. Three of them are still near the bath houses. We'll get them first."  
  
~~ Let's see what Tokio's doing!!~~  
  
"Damn, you got a purdy dress!"  
  
Tokio mumbled, "Uh, thank you."  
  
The tall man opened the door to the manager's room, and she realized his arms were pretty thick. As thick as his neck. And skull. Huh. She's starting to get a little worried.  
  
"Ah, there you are, Mrs. Fujita!"  
  
The manager came over, and took her hand in his, "I see you've dressed for the interview too!"  
  
She smiled, "Ah, sure did! So, what do we do first?"  
  
"Well, let's introduce you to the crew. Now, the other five are still out there, but they'll be back in a few minutes. They just have to lock up everything so no one could, well, interrupt the interview.  
  
Tokio giggled, "And who would want to spoil our fun?"  
  
The other men laughed, clapping. The manager gestured with his hand, "The two broom boys are Taro and Mayama. They've been working here since they were sixteen."  
  
Tokio thought, **"And how long ago was that? Yesterday? They looked like damn kids!!'**  
  
"The big guy that brought you in is Gin, he's our chief cook. His assistant is that guy over there. He's Jiro."  
  
Tokio bowed to Jiro, a man with a nose sharper than a knife.  
  
The manager bowed, "And I'm Myoji. And I'll say on behalf of the male staff, it is nice to have a girl once in a while."  
  
They cheered. Tokio sweated, "Once in a while? What happened to the others?"  
  
He put his hand on her shoulder, "Oh, they didn't cooperate well. So we, well.... we had to fire them."  
  
**Fire, as in kill them.** She thought, forcing a grin. "Well, good!" she giggled, "I don't want any other ladies here!! That means they might get more fun than me!"  
  
Jiro cheered, "She's hot!"  
  
Her stomach turned. **God, don't let him near me. I swear, he's gonna stab me with that pointy nose of his......**  
  
Myoji pulled her closer to the middle of the room. She stopped, "Wait! I'm a meshimori-onna! Aren't I supposed to uhhh......... cook? Or clean? Or recite poetry? .........Or something?" **I hope.**  
  
Taro put down his sake cup, "Who cares? I like the part of the interview where we get to see if she has any birth marks or anything."  
  
She nearly jumped as a finger grazed her back. She added, "But I made a ........ a really nice song!!"  
  
"Cute!! The girl made a song!! Maybe she'll sing during sex!!" exclaimed Taro.  
  
Inside her mind, Tokio was imagining throwing dart's at Taro's ugly head for that remark.  
  
"Singing and dancing is for geishas, girl. Don't tell me you're backing down from the job description, eh?" smirked Myoji, knuckles against her elbow.  
  
Tokio gulped, and stammered, "B-But, I made a song, just for you guys......" she pouted, twiddling her fingers, "And I worked so hard, I really wanted to get this job......" she seductively nibbled on her nail, "Won't you give me a chance?"  
  
"WhhhoooOOOOOOO!! HOT DAMN!!" sang Gin. "Myoji, let her sing!! With looks like that, she's got to be a great singer!"  
  
Myoji shrugged, "Eh, whatever. We got all night, don't we girl?" he asked twirling one of her silken locks.  
  
She giggled, pulling away, "You're too much." She coughed, into her hand, and thought.  
  
**OKAY!! SONG, NOW!! I GOTTA SING!! BUT WHAT!?**  
  
She racked her brain, tossing together any lyrics that came up in her head.  
  
"Hey, don't keep us waiting, girl," said Jiro.  
  
She went, "Ahem, so sorry, I had to remember my lines correctly." She closed her eyes. After ten minutes of stalling silence, she smiled, "Okay, here I go!!"  
  
"............saigo no, kisu wa tobako no flavor ga shita-- Nigakute setsunai kaori....... "  
  
(The last kiss tasted like cigarettes, and bitter and sad smell)  
  
She looked up, her voice quivering a bit. Where did those lines come from? But they were all rapt, listening to her. She gulped, and continued, singing whatever popped into her head, "Uhhmm.......  
  
"......... ashita no imagoro ni wa...... Anata wa doko ni ................ iru n daoru....... dare wo, omotte ru n darou......."  
  
(Tomorrow, at this time Where will you be? Who will you be thinking about?)  
  
--(YES, it's an Utada Hikaru song, but I really don't know many Japanese songs. I thought this would be okay, since she's scanning her head for any inspiration of a song, and she seems to remember mostly the 'tobacco kiss' Saito gave her.)--  
  
She gulped, and stammered, "Ahhh...... ah heh heh, sorry! I thought I........ thought I could remember it better.... but heh heh, guess not!" she shrugged.  
  
Gin whispered, "Gosh......... that was so pretty....................." he grabbed her arm, "Hey, make a song about butterflies for me!! I love those things!"  
  
Myoji smacked his arm, "Don't frighten the poor girl!" he smiled warmly at her, taking a seat next to her, "Ah, that was very good. Do you have any songs you can remember completely?"  
  
She scanned her head again. But everything she thought of seemed stupid, or didn't fit together. And they were getting impatient.  
  
"Hey, don't geishas dance? let's see her dance!!"  
  
"I'm not a geisha! I'm a meshimori-onna!" she explained.  
  
"... oh, so she DOES wanna get it on with us!!" pointed out Mayama.  
  
"On second thought, a dance sounds fine!" she quickly added, getting to her feet.  
  
"Hurrah!!" cheered everyone else.  
  
She fell over, grumbling, "That damn wolf better be hauling his @$$ in gear...."  
  
~~Back to Saito~~  
  
Saito covered his mouth, but a sneeze escaped anyways.  
  
Ujiki turned, "Sir, someone might hear us!"  
  
Saito narrowed his eyes at him, "Calm down, they're already dead," he said, flicking the blood off his blade. Indeed, three bodies lay in bloodied heaps in the bath houses. Clutched in their hands were broken swords.  
  
An officer pulled something out of the storage, "Hey, look at this. Here's something most hotels don't have."  
  
"What is it?" mused Ujiki.  
  
But Saito smelled it. "Gunpowder. Though I don't see any rifles here."  
  
The last officer wiped his forehead with his hat. "Maybe since these guys were bringing the stuff here, they were going to go back for the guns?"  
  
Saito frowned, sliding his sword back into his sheath. "Have all the guests been evacuated?"  
  
Ujiki nodded, "We got them out of there without anyone noticing."  
  
Saito smiled, "Good. There should be no distractions then." He pointed to the two officers, "You two; scan the hallways. You know that the convicts look like?"  
  
They nodded.  
  
"Slay them on sight."  
  
They bowed, and left to carry out their duties. Ujiki frowned, "Hey, what about me?"  
  
"Ujiki, you're very good with Jigen Ryu, so you'll stay with me. The rest of the men are in one room. The manager's room. And there is one last occupant still there."  
  
Ujiki frowned, "A civilian? Then apprehending-"  
  
"No, she is with us."  
  
"She?" asked Ujiki, following Saito. But he didn't reply.  
  
~~Back to Tokio's Interview~~  
  
With a final shake of her butt, Tokio ended in a weird pose. They all drank and cheered, and she found herself inventing a new string of curses to put on the damn wolf forever and ever. She clasped her hands together, and smiled, "Well! That was fun!! It is rather hard dancing with no music, wouldn't you say?"  
  
"It still looks damn good!!"  
  
She giggled, "Ah ha ha, so charming!"  
  
Taro looked at Myoji, "Say, where are the other guys?"  
  
"I don't know, they're supposed to be here now," he got up, "Maybe I better tell them to come now-"  
  
"Hey, wait, don't!!" said Tokio.  
  
Myoji turned, "What's wrong?"  
  
"What's wrong?" she laughed, and came up with a line that she would regret for the rest of her life, "If... if you leave now, how can we have our orgy?"  
  
The room plummeted into deafening silence. Myoji gulped, and the other guys turned red. Mayama smiled, "Ah, I like her!! See? The other girls didn't want to experiment! I hate taking turns, it goes too long that way!" He shouted slamming his bottle down.  
  
Tokio blushed brighter than a strawberry, and then sat on her heels, stuttering, "O-Of course, if you don't like me enough, I-I can always just try again some other time-"  
  
Myoji grabbed her hand, pulling her close, "Naw, I think the guys can come in later, if you're that eager, my beautiful lady."  
  
She kept her eyes focused on him, and nearly yelped when a hand slid under her kimono onto her thigh.  
  
**Don't' kick, don't kick!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON'T KICK!!**  
  
Unable to scream for help, she fell backwards, moaning. They all reached for her, then the door slammed down.  
  
**Safe!!**  
  
The candle went out as the wind blew in, and she saw two flashing blades. One was a saber, however, and it sliced through Myoji, the closest one to the door. Tokio gasped, and backed away, against the wall. Taro frowned, and pulled out a gun from his sleeve, but the saber quickly slashed down, lopping off his arm. Taro screamed as it fell, and his scream was cut short after his head was lopped off by the same saber.  
  
Tokio bit her lip, and jerked her eyes away, curling into a ball. She tried to cover her ears as best as she could, but their shrieks still pierce through them. She gasped, as the younger man's cry of pain swelled like a cat's yowl, and she flinched as something warmed splashed on her. A gun fired, and two more followed.  
  
She screamed, "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!"  
  
And that's when a body fell on her. That was also the point to where she freaked out, and jumped up, and darted for the door.  
  
"Hold it!!" screamed a man, and she turned to see the saber lunge for her. She shrieked, just when a hand grabbed her waist, pulling her out of the way. A swift katana blade deflected the saber.  
  
"Sir, what-" began the startled Ujiki.  
  
"She's a civilian," Saito replied sternly.  
  
Tokio panted, looking at the man in the darkness. The dark adjusted to her eyes, showing a young man in a police uniform, although it was red now. He smiled, "Ah, I am sorry Miss. I thought you were one of the assassins."  
  
She only panted; eyes wide at the scarlet man. He chuckled, "I'm sorry. I must look frightening, don't I?"  
  
Tokio looked away, covering her mouth. No use, she had to throw up. A string of intestines were still dangling form his saber blade. She jerked herself away from Goro, and ran.  
  
Ujiki wiped his sword with a rag he picked up from the floor, "Touchy, isn't she?"  
  
Saito ignored him, and kicked one of the bodies, "So all the guns were loaded here." He reached down, and pulled up a gun. The hand that was cut was still clinging to it. He sheathed his sword, and wrenched the dead man's grip on it.  
  
One of the other officers appeared at the door. "Sir, I went through the front desk. I found some papers here you should consider reading."  
  
Saito took the papers form him, and leafed through them. He smirked, "A list and files of all the people they were paid to assassinate, and a score list of how many women they had and killed." He crumpled it up, and sighed, "They were pretty busy men."  
  
Ujiki chuckled, "You could say that again."  
  
The last police officer came in, and bowed, "The other two are silenced, sir."  
  
"Good. Let's get someone to clean this up."  
  
After Tokio threw up everything she ate on the way here, she stumbled into the hot springs. There, she scooped some hot water, and gurgled it. She spit it out, spitting out the taste of vomit with it. However, she noticed along her arms were crimson splatters. She realized she wasn't wearing green anymore. It was red. Blood stained into her green kimono. And on her lips she tasted blood.  
  
Though the blood certainly wasn't her own.  
  
The thought caused her to throw up again, this time bile. Since her stomach was already empty. 


	18. Pillow Talk

**Pechan's friend asked why she made Tokio throw up in the last chapter. Well, Pechan once had to help clean a deer her father shot, and she remembered puking her guts out after he cut open the stomach, the intestines spilling out and everything. Nasty things, they stink when they're cut there. ANYWAYS, she's starting to run out of any good ideas, so expect her to DISCLIAM OWNING ANY RUROUNI KENSHIN CHARACTERS.  
  
~ Pillow Talk ~  
  
Saito didn't go after Tokio after she ran. He had business to finish. A team of six more officers cleaned up the place, getting rid of all the bodies. And body parts. Further investigation found plenty of stolen goods in their closets. Not to mention, they appeared to be smuggling rifle and ammunition, as well as a few explosives. They found more track lists of the hotels' 'finished jobs' and it appeared they had more orders. Their schedule was crammed for a good two years. Saito was going to go and trace back all the people that paid for these murders. A few bags of opium were stuffed into some of their pillows in storage, but that wasn't really the matter.  
  
Just as he got up to leave, someone stopped him, "Saito!!"  
  
He turned, and looked down at the little man that just loved to shout out his name as loud as he could. He pulled out a cigarette and stuck it in his lips, "Is there a problem, commissioner?"  
  
The midget held up a paper, "Good work. You're going to be stationed at Fukuoka."  
  
Saito looked at the report, and it said there was going to be another raid. Alone.  
  
"Hnh," he said, lighting his cigarette. Alone meant they didn't want to lose any other of their men. Meaning this was a suicide job. No problem. He had handled more of these life or death situations better than anyone else. He folded it, and tucked it away, "I'll go after I tie up some loose ends."  
  
"We'll send for some replacements for this establishment. That woman you brought with you. She was not part of the briefing."  
  
"But you needed a distraction. And she provided it."  
  
"You're not allowed to get involved, and you're not allowed to get anyone else involved, Saito!"  
  
He looked down at him. *How easy it would be, to just Gatotsu you and pin you to the wall.* He smiled, "Understood, commissioner. I'll try not to go ahead of myself next time."  
  
The commissioner sweated, and turned, "See that you do. Otherwise, I'll report this sort of thing the next time to Okubo."  
  
He left, calling a few men to accompany him as he gave them their assignments. Saito smoked, thinking. Fukouka. That was pretty far away. He looked at the gate to the hot springs where Tokio ran. He exhaled, and flicked away his cigarette. Guess not much left to do except to see if she's not throwing up anymore.  
  
~~Tokio~~  
  
Tokio rubbed her eyes. Well, people died all the time!! What was so special about that?! She was an assassin; she was supposed to kill people!!  
  
**Right. And how many people have you killed so far?**  
  
'Shut up.' She scooped some more water, and splashed her face, trying to get the blood of her face. Soon, she plucked out her pins, and let her hair drape into the water. She sighed, seeing thin wispy lines of red emanate from her hair on the water's surface, ripple away. Great, it was in her hair too.......  
  
She wanted to wash her kimono too, but she didn't feel like getting naked. In fact, she didn't know what to feel.  
  
People died in front of her. And they were sleazy, boorish, idiotic, dirty, and wanted only one thing from her. Plus, they were murderers, and they killed people for chump change. They were immoral men that deserved the deaths for the many they've created.  
  
So why did she freak out? She dipped her hair further into the water, rinsing it out more.  
  
**That was kind of gross, their blood splashing all over you.**  
  
Yeah. She shook her head in the water, still thinking she could taste their blood. Perhaps the sight of so much blood caused her to get sick. She laughed, and put her fingers to her forehead, "So much for the best assassin..........."  
  
She sighed, and dipped her head in the water, and then pulled it out, letting her hair slap onto her back. She exhaled, her eyes closed, steam rising from her mouth from such hot water against the cold evening sky. The sun was red, and she was a silhouette.  
  
"Are you feeling better, Tokio?"  
  
She opened her eyes, and turned. Goro stood there, in a black shirt and hakama. A cigarette hung from the corner of his mouth, and his arms were crossed as he leaned against the gate. She frowned, "Boys aren't allowed in the women's hot spring."  
  
He smirked, "You're decent enough."  
  
She bit her lip turning away.  
  
"I had hoped you realized that the turnout would have been this way. I'm sure you've seen handiwork like this before."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I'm referring to your days of the Revolution. You must have seen things like this already."  
  
She froze, and gulped, answering, "I only saw the aftermath, Goro. Never.......... never really saw it happen. It usually went by so fast."  
  
"I see," he replied. "So you are okay?"  
  
She stood, pulling her kimono tighter. It sagged a bit, and her wet hair clung to her skin, which shined in the vapor of the hot springs. "Yes, I........... I just forgot what it was like. I'm sorry if I made you look bad."  
  
"Look bad?"  
  
She chuckled, closing her eyes, and turning away, "You know, I'm supposed to be your wife and all...........?"  
  
He smiled slowly, "That's right."  
  
She coughed into her hand, and walked up to him. She put her hand on the latch door latch behind him, when she looked at him, "You know, it's not that fact that they were killed that bothers me. What bothered me was that you did it."  
  
He frowned at her, "I thought I had already told-"  
  
"I know," she said sighing. She looked at the gate, as she opened it, "I'm just saying, it'd be nice if you didn't do it again."  
  
"Hnh," he said, shaking the ashes off his cigarette. "Someone has to do it."  
  
"But it has to be you?"  
  
He didn't like that tone. He frowned, "I chose to be the one who does it."  
  
She was frowning, her bottom lip stuck out a bit. She closed her eyes, and sighed. "Well, I'll just get ready for bed," she mumbled. She slammed the door behind her, and called out, "You owe me a new kimono, you moron!!"  
  
He smiled, and took a drag from his cigarette. He was afraid she'd be mad the whole damn time.  
  
~~ Nighty Night ~~  
  
Goro slid open the doors to his room, where Tokio was laying. She opened her eyes, and smiled, "Hey."  
  
He slid the door behind him, "To be honest, I thought you'd be mad. Last time I drew my sword, you didn't speak to me for a week."  
  
"Last time the sword was pointed at me."  
  
He slipped walked over to one side of the room, "Hnh. I see."  
  
He untied his hakama, and looked at her. She was staring bug eyed right back. Then, she noticed him looking at her, and she frowned, "Do you really have to get dressed here?"  
  
He shrugged, "If it bothers you, you may turn around. I never asked you to watch."  
  
She grumbled turning around, and pulling her blanket over her head, "Stupid cop, thinks I wanna see him naked the first chance I get.........."  
  
He smirked, and changed into a yukata. He only had one free week left before he left for Fukuoka. It seemed every time the government sent him into a suicide mission, they thought it customary to give them one last week to live and do whatever he wanted. A waste of time, since he just went ahead anyways, killed the target, and was already back in his office smoking before the police commissioner came to complain about him in some stupid way.  
  
But this time, maybe he'd use his extra week.  
  
"Tell me, Tokio, what do you plan to do once you get home?"  
  
Tokio peeked under her blanket, "Are you decent?"  
  
"No. I'm here naked and ready."  
  
"Oh ha ha ha, you wish," she said, rolling her eyes. She sat up, and pushed her bangs out of her eyes, "Hmm, I dunno. Work as a cook again at the Shirobeko?"  
  
He nodded, unrolling a blanket.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"I'm off."  
  
She pulled her knees to her chest, "Really? For how long?"  
  
"We'll see," he said, lying down.  
  
She looked at him, "Well, hey, don't go to sleep yet! Let's do something!"  
  
"Right now," he asked, flatly.  
  
"No, you dork, let's plan something!!"  
  
"Such as?"  
  
She shrugged, "I dunno. Wanna hit the beach?"  
  
"I'm not much of a swimmer. Maybe some other time."  
  
She crawled over, "Say................. why are you being so nice?"  
  
"What do you mean? I've been this way since I met you. You're the distrustful one."  
  
**True.**  
  
She clonked her head, and said, "But before, you didn't let me go with you!"  
  
"That's because I had to see a friend."  
  
"But you'll bring me along to make me see you kill people?"  
  
He laughed low, in his throat. She gulped, since his laugh sounded somewhat evil.  
  
He sighed, "Yes, I suppose that is odd," he turned on his back, and looked at her. She was so close to him. He smirked, "Lonely?"  
  
She gulped, and backed off immediately, "Sorry, I just thought I'd get closer so I can hear better!!"  
  
He closed his eyes, "Suit yourself."  
  
She frowned, but got into her futon. Even though her brain commanded, **HEY, HIS BED LOOKS MORE COMFY!!**  
  
After ten minutes or so of silence, she whispered, "Hey, are you asleep?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
She leaned over to him, "I was just wondering, don't you think it's cold in here?"  
  
"......................................................................................... that has to be your worst excuse yet for wanting to get close to me."  
  
"Ah, shut up. You wish I liked some old guy like you."  
  
"Twenty seven is old?"  
  
"Terribly old. You're a fossil."  
  
"Ah, I see."  
  
She growled, "Stop agreeing with me!!"  
  
He sighed, "Yare yare..... nothing pleases her. What a difficult woman."  
  
She folded her hands under her head, and looked at the ceiling, grumbling to herself, "Who needs him? Tons of guys love the way I look, and laugh at everything I want them to laugh at. And I got tons of old flames just waitin' to be rekindled, and millions of fan boys-"  
  
"It's hard to sleep when certain people talk to themselves."  
  
"-and I'd never have to resort to traveling with some mean old cop who thinks he's such a chick magnet."  
  
He smirked "Now that's a first."  
  
"Well, all I'm saying is Miss Sa-" she stopped, her hand shut on her mouth.  
  
"............................ Yes? Miss Sae said?"  
  
"Nothing, forget it," she said turning. "We were drunk."  
  
"It wouldn't happen to be her commenting on me, would it? Primarily my butt."  
  
She fell over, even though she was already lying down. "WHEN DID YOU HEAR THAT?!!"  
  
"When you were drunk. You talk in your sleep sometimes."  
  
She mopped her face, "You're a demon. Because only a demon would go this far to make my life a living hell."  
  
Tokio eventually fell asleep, after she decided not to talk anymore. Everything she said he managed to twist to a truth she was afraid to face. 


	19. Soba

**Pechan is dislcaimin' the rights to Rurouni Kenshin.  
  
~ Soba ~  
  
Tokio woke up once again to no Goro in sight. She scanned the room, finding it bare. Her bags were gone, but a pink kimono was left out for her. Red wooden getas and tabi socks sat upon it, and two hair pins sporting rubies completed the ensemble. She gulped, "Did he put together something for me to wear...........?"  
  
Outside, an officer was talking to Saito. Saito was dressed in his uniform, and nodded to the officer, "then there is no reason to stake out this area, is there?"  
  
"No sir. We'll be leaving as soon as possible. But what if the town's people start asking about the whereabouts-"  
  
"Tell them they're under new management. "he handed him a file, "Here's everything documented. And all past records we found here. I assure nothing's been tampered with."  
  
The officer bowed, "Sir."  
  
Saito smelled something familiar, and began lighting a cigarette, "Ah, Tokio, you're up alre-NGK!"  
  
She clutched the bottom of his hair, and snarled, "WAIT FOR ME ONE OF THESE DAYS, WHY DON'CHA?!!"  
  
Goro calmly removed her grip, "I see you don't do mornings."  
  
The officer sweated, "Ah, sir? Will that be all?"  
  
Goro nodded, "That'll be all."  
  
A final bow, and he left. Goro bent down and pick up his hat which fell when Tokio grabbed his hair.  
  
She followed, "I never see you when I wake up! Where did you go?"  
  
"I put our bags at the train station already."  
  
"Why?"  
  
He shrugged, tugging on his hat, "I was awake."  
  
She crossed her arms, and fingered her sleeves, "Not bad taste, though. I was figuring to wear this today."  
  
"What of your green one?'  
  
She chuckled, eyes closed, "Forget wearing that ever again. I don't wanna remember last night. In fact, I don't even want to talk about it."  
  
"It was that gruesome for you?"  
  
"No, not at all. I just have a thing about accidentally swallowing someone else's blood after it's splashed on me."  
  
"Ah, I see."  
  
They stepped out of the Hanabi inn, and she shivered, "You know, just looking at it gives me the chills. Almost like there are ghosts in there. I mean, we've been there one night, and it's all different."  
  
"Well, we did do something."  
  
She looked up at him, "Say, did you even go in the hot springs?"  
  
He shook his head, "I had work."  
  
"Not even once? Oh, they were sooooooooooooooooooooooo relaxing. I could just die in there."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind," he smiled.  
  
She put more spring in her step, actually refreshed from leaving that place, "So! How much time do we have to kill?"  
  
"All in the world."  
  
"Did you eat yet? Cause I'm hungry."  
  
"No I haven't."  
  
She clapped, "Oh, do you have any money? Can we hit a beef pot?"  
  
"It's not even nine yet."  
  
She pouted, "That's right............... well, you like udon?"  
  
"I like soba."  
  
She smiled, "Oh yeah, when I was a waitress that's what you ordered. Hey, how come you only like it plain?"  
  
"Why do you like candy?"  
  
"Because it tastes like ecstasy. Why, is it he same for you and soba?" she giggled, "It's orgasmic?"  
  
He simply smiled.  
  
She rubbed her arms, going, "Eww, EWW! Dirty!!"  
  
"I didn't even say anything."  
  
"Oh, but I know what you were thinking!!!"  
  
"Yare yare...... just my luck to have a mind reader at hand."  
  
She giggled, then said, "Soba it is!! Ummmm, you ARE paying, right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
She nodded, "Good! I eat anything that's free!!"  
  
So they settled in a soba bar. Tokio sat next to him at the bar, asking, "So how long have you been a police man?"  
  
"Ever since the war ended. They had applicants ready and willing."  
  
"Do you like saving people?"  
  
"I do what I do best."  
  
She replied sarcastically, "Slice up things?"  
  
"I was thinking more on the line of infiltration."  
  
She giggled, "Like a spy?"  
  
Some people looked at them, and she snapped, "Hey, mind your own business!'  
  
The waiter set down some tea for them. Goro picked up his cup, "You really should speak a little more quietly, Tokio."  
  
"Heh, right." She sipped a bit of her tea, "Hey, it's green!"  
  
"You don't want green?"  
  
"Why do you like it?"  
  
"I don't."  
  
"Well, why is it here?"  
  
"It came with the combo."  
  
"That doesn't mean you have to get it! You could have said something like, 'Can I have regular, or jasmine tea instead'?"  
  
"It's easier to just order the whole thing-"  
  
"Yeah, but the point is, your paying for something you don't want-"  
  
"See, if I did that we'd just be calling him back, because he might have gotten the order wrong, since most people just order it the way it is so their used to making it that way-"  
  
"-is no reason to pay for something you didn't want, you're not list-"  
  
"-you're not listening."  
  
She crossed her arms, "Oh, stop it! You're being stupid!! All I know is, I would've gotten my order right."  
  
"You're not paying anyways, so I don't see the big deal."  
  
The waiter chuckled, handing them both bowls of steaming hot soba, "Boy, you guys remind me of my sister and her husband. Always bickering over every little thing."  
  
Tokio blushed, "Uhh, were not married-"  
  
"Thank you, sir," Goro said, nodding his head. He picked up his chopsticks, and said, "See? Everyone thinks we're married."  
  
"Must be because most beautiful women get stuck with bitter old men anyways."  
  
"Just you."  
  
She stuck her tongue at him, as he slurped some noodles. She ate some too, then asked, "Say.......... you swing your sword with your left, but you use chopsticks with your right. Are you ambidextrous?"  
  
"No."  
  
After watching him eat for three minutes, she frowned, "Well, tell me!"  
  
"I attack with my left, since it gives a fair advantage. Almost all swordsmen are right handed, and their strikes come to the same point. I have a better chance, since my blade isn't bound to collide straight on all the time."  
  
"Ooooohh..........." she said, then slurped her noodles. She started sipping the broth, when she decided to ask, "So. When is your birthday?"  
  
He wiped his mouth, setting his bowl down, "Why must you know?"  
  
She shrugged, "I just wanna."  
  
He drained his cup, and set it down. Wiping his mouth again, he replied, "I was born on the first of January."  
  
"Really? Wow. That's kinda special, isn't it?"  
  
"I suppose."  
  
She tilted her head, "You should have a name like............... like Ichiban, or Ichi." (First/Number One, One)  
  
He smirked, "Now why did my parents decide not to give me wonderful names like that?"  
  
She shrugged, "Ahh, I don't know. Hajime might work too."  
  
He raised his brows, looking at her. She didn't notice, as she downed her tea. (remember, she couldn't find his first name in any of the dossiers?) She daintily wiped her mouth with a napkin, "Gah, I don't like green. It tastes funny."  
  
"It's good for your health."  
  
She turned around, facing him. "So! What time do we leave?"  
  
He glanced at a clock hanging above the soba bar's door, "Thirty minutes."  
  
"Let's go shopping!!"  
  
He smirked, "I'm not one for shopping."  
  
She pouted, tilting her head, "Not even for me?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
She frowned, "Well, too bad. You can act as escort, then!" she grinned, and tugged his sleeve, "Come on! Let's go!"  
  
"Can I pay the man first?" he asked casually, laying some yen on the counter.  
  
Tokio giggled, and pulled him out the door. He followed in good humor. She let her hand linger on his arm a little longer, before dropping it. She pushed a stray lock of hair from her face behind her ear, and pointed, "Look!!"  
  
By the time he looked, she was already running there. He sighed, and followed behind at his own pace. What the hell? He might as well. He'd have nothing else to do for a week.  
  
**the whole Soba bar argument about the combo? I go through that EVERYTIME when I hang out with this guy I like at ANY restaurant. He constantly nit picks about the prices, until I decide to dislocate his hip. 


	20. Trains, Again

**Pechan's still disclaimin' to any Rurouni Kenshin rights.  
  
~ Trains, Again ~  
  
Tokio and a group of women were huddled around a glass window, gazing at a European dress. It lay on a display, with it's hoop skirt tilted to look rounder. Ivory lace was stitched into the cuffs and collar, and a ruffled bodice of white lay under a sea of sapphire blue velvet. Golden thread twined in the cloth, making a beautiful tapestry. Pearls were sewn along the collar, in a circle.  
  
"Oh, it's soo pretty......." murmured a woman.  
  
One giggled, poking another, "Yoko!! Tell Hideki to get it for you!!"  
  
The girl blushed, "Ahhh, no!! It'll look silly on me!"  
  
"Such expensive looking fabric!" sighed one.  
  
"It looks so soft........" cooed another.  
  
Tokio was standing on tiptoe, trying to get a good look. Saito thought the dress looked ridiculous. Too flashy. Too many things not necessary.  
  
Just the kind of thing a materialistic girl would die for.  
  
"God, I'd kill for that.........." He heard Tokio mumbled.  
  
He smirked, "Figures." He placed his hand on her shoulder, slowly pulling her away from the window, "I have no money on me anyways to get it."  
  
She sighed, and finally pulled her eyes away from it.  
  
He looked down at her face, pouted in a tantrum for not getting her way. "Why do you like foreign things? That has always puzzled me."  
  
"What do you mean? All women like foreign things. It's exotic."  
  
"You like foreign clothes, candy, certain customs, and you played the piano quite well."  
  
"So?"  
  
"That means you had one. Your parents must have been wealthy."  
  
She looked away, frows pinching, "They were. They gave only the best to me."  
  
"What did they do?"  
  
She crossed her arms, tossing her head back, letting her loose bun become even more loose, "I dunno. I just know my father had some important job."  
  
"And you're mother?"  
  
"My mother didn't need a job. My dad was wealthy enough," she looked at him, saying, "He said he worked hard so we wouldn't have to lift a finger."  
  
"We?"  
  
She coughed, feeling awkward. And some resentment rose in her. "Yeah, I had two little sisters."  
  
"Ah, I see. I suspected as much."  
  
"How would you know?" she gasped.  
  
"The way you keep vying for attention."  
  
"Oh........." She said, then giggled. Truth be told, she didn't need attention. she was her father's favorite. That's why he let her play the piano, that's why he bought it  
  


* * *

  
"Who taught you how to play the piano?"  
  
She put her hands behind her back, walking a bit more innocently, "Weeellll, I forget who. But she was an old lady. She hated me, too. She said I'd grow up with the fingers of a man, never learning to strike a key delicate and lady like. She said my fingers bashed the notes like a bull rams it's head on a rock. She said," she laughed, "she said fingers were supposed to dip like cranes, and gently stab the ivory keys with their beaks."  
  
He looked down at her, smiling, "Well, you play very well."  
  
"Heh, thanks. I mostly play slow songs, they're much easier." She held up her hands, "Hey, they look kinda, stubby, don't you think?"  
  
In his opinion, they looked slender and delicate.  
  
"............. stubby it is."  
  
She pushed him, "Hey!! You're supposed to say they look damn fine!!"  
  
"Yare yare........... she wants to make a liar out of me."  
  
"I make you a liar?" she said, and tried to punch him. He grabbed her hand gently. "You make pretty good lies yourself!"  
  
"Such as?" he inquired, looking at her.  
  
She was going to retort how he lied about his name, and past, and everything else. That he was just a big liar, who cleans his sword to make it seem innocent. But, when she looked into his eyes, with his hand gently grasping her fist, the words tumbled out of her mouth:  
  
"Like I'm not your wife!"  
  
He lifted a brow, and released her hand, "That was for yesterday."  
  
She gulped, and held her hands, "Well, yeah........... and don't you forget it!"  
  
They heard a train whistle, indicating one had just stopped in. He pulled out a pocket watch, looking at it.  
  
"Say, that looks like my pocket watch."  
  
"It IS your pocket watch."  
  
She snatched it away from him, "Theif!! What were you doing in my bag?!!"  
  
"Getting your kimono."  
  
She tucked away her watch, "Tch, yeah right. Probably going through my underwear, sicko."  
  
He turned his head away, a laugh resonating deep within him. Tokio kinda liked it. He kept it contained, like he didn't really want to show everyone what he thought. She smiled, and followed him as he turned for the train station.  
  
"So, first class again?"  
  
"Sorry, but we're in middle class."  
  
She stopped, "Huh? Why not?"  
  
He turned, stuffing his hands on his pockets, "Because last time I needed privacy to tell you how things went, and to change."  
  
She pouted, and crossed her arms, walking ahead of him, "A little more privacy would have been nice on the way back."  
  
Goro smiled down at her, and patted her shoulder, "Maybe later."  
  
She blushed, warmth spreading from his touch. Like delicious flames, licking her body. She shook her head, and looked away, sweating, "Well, that's if you still have time, you know?"  
  
He smiled, walking ahead, "I have all the time in the world."  
  
She caught up with him, "You keep saying that. Why?"  
  
"Because I do."  
  
"But you don't. you have deadlines. I mean, you're a cop. And secret agent guy. I mean, you had to come here to get of those guys, and that other time, you had to go to the other guy, your friend. You sound really busy. In fact, you have barely any time!" she grinned, "Ever think of going on a vacation?"  
  
He smiled don at her, "This is a week I have off."  
  
She clapped, "Cool!! Wanna go to where it snows? I never saw snow in my life."  
  
"It's not that amazing."  
  
She pouted, "But I wanna see!"  
  
"I'll paint you a picture of it."  
  
She scoffed, "Hah, like you could paint................................." she looked at him, "Can you?"  
  
"I can do anything."  
  
"Nuh uh. Bet you can't dance."  
  
"I could. But I won't."  
  
"Because you can't."  
  
"Because it doesn't matter if I can or not."  
  
She giggled, "Oh man, I just got a mental image of you dancing!! Heh heh heh hehehheh heh heee..........."  
  
He walked passed the ticket booth, handing the tickets to the clerk. Tokio followed him through the sea of people, into the black train. She sighed, "Aww, boarding with ignorant commoners is boring."  
  
"Ah, I'm sorry. Next time I'll get you a train that suits your standards, your highness."  
  
She pouted, "You know, I know when you being sarcastic?"  
  
"Seriously? I'll try to use it less often then for your sake."  
  
She slapped his back, "Jerk."  
  
Goro took a seat against the wall, by the door. Tokio grabbed his arm, just as he was about to sit, "Can I have the window seat?"  
  
"The last time you looked out the window, the trees made you sick."  
  
She nodded, "I know, but this time I won't look!"  
  
He switched seats with her, as she sat by the window. She crossed her legs, and set her elbow on the windowsill. She placed her chin on her fist, and looked out the window. The way the sun was set by her face, it looked like a picture. The rays perfectly outlined her face.  
  
Or course, there was no need to tell her that.  
  
An elder woman carried a sleeping child to the seat across from them. The baby gurgled in her arms, and Tokio smiled, "Oh, baby!!"  
  
The woman smiled, "Ah, yes, this one's my grandson."  
  
Tokio sat on the edge of her seat, and held out her hand, "May I......?"  
  
"Oh sure, go ahead." The woman chuckled, "My name is Kazumi. What's yours?"  
  
"I'm Tokio!" she said cheerfully. She frowned, and stuck her thumb at Goro. "That guy's Goro."  
  
Goro nodded to the old woman.  
  
She bowed, "Ah, good morning, officer."  
  
The baby waved it's arms a bit, pressing it's face against it's grandmother, "So cuuuuuuute....... what's his name?"  
  
"Well, her father thought Kazuya would be nice. So I guess we'll let it be that way."  
  
"Where is his father?"  
  
Kazumi smiled, "He's on a business trip. And I'm afraid this one's mother, my daughter, died during this one's birth."  
  
Tokio bit her lip, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"  
  
"Oh, no dear, it's quite aright. We must move on. What's past is past, right?"  
  
Tokio nodded, "Yeah, your right........"  
  
She giggled "Well, Kazuya's really cute!!" she said, sitting back into her chair.  
  
The grandmother smiled, "Thank you, dear," and that was that.  
  
There was silence between them, and Tokio leaned against the window again. Goro did nothing, looking around the whole train. suddenly, the whistles started, and the train began to move. The jolt made Tokio shift in her seat, and her thigh accidentally grazed Goro's.  
  
She blushed. "Sorry!" and turned her face back to the window. She moved away, as he slid his eyes to her. He slowly smiled, and closed his eyes.  
  
Why oh why does she keep resisting?  
  
Kazumi smiled, knowingly. "Virgin's are so cute."  
  
Tokio fell over, "EH?!!!"  
  
Kazumi chuckled, "Oh, I'm sorry dear. Don't listen to this old woman, she just rambles to herself now and then."  
  
Tokio fanned her face, trying to make the red go away, "Oh, y-yeah?"  
  
Goro crossed his arms, and leaned his head against the wall. Tokio glanced at him nervously, and looked back out the window. She watched the houses zip by, until they disappeared into the green of the forest. Then she lifted her eyes to the clouds. She loved clouds. When she was little, she tried to jump as high as she could, to touch them. She thought if she popped one, it would float down then she could save it, and keep it for a pillow. Of course, her jumping all the time resulted in her getting flat feet.  
  
She sighed. God she was dumb back then  
  


* * *

  
Tokio fell right to sleep ten minutes into the ride. She let her head rest on her arm, and she breathed slowly, gently.  
  
Kazumi lightly hummed to her grandson, rocking him a bit as he mewed in his sleep. Goro closed his eyes finally, deciding five minutes would be okay. He reviewed over his head what train he should catch to get to Fukuoka, and how he would have to prepare his medicine box routine when he got home.  
  
His train of thought was interrupted by Tokio's hand on his lap. He looked down immediately, and realized her hand laid palms up, fingers curled. It had rolled off her lap, onto his. She was still asleep.  
  
He gently picked it up, and laid it back in her lap. Her fingers were soft like silk. Much different than his, his palms had a few good calluses on it.  
  
Kazumi chuckled, "You're a sweet man, you know? Most men would dream for a beautiful lady like her."  
  
He smiled, and couldn't' resist saying, "Unfortunately, beautiful is just how far her wonderful traits go."  
  
Kazumi opened one eye, "Oh? I'm sure you can name a few that explains why you're still there with her."  
  
He nodded, "You have good eyes, Miss Kazumi."  
  
She nodded, and hugged her grandson, "I have to be. Otherwise, this little one wouldn't have a good knowledgeable grandmother to raise him."  
  
Goro smiled politely, and rested his head against the wall again.  
  
Twenty minutes later, Tokio had sunk into her chair, her shoulder against his. Her head, which was on her left shoulder, rolled to her right. Her forehead rest against his arm, since he was too tall for her head to rest on.  
  
"Ah, are you going to push her off now?"  
  
Goro looked at Kazumi, who had her eyes closed, nodding to herself, "They say in sleep, you're mind speaks the truth. That's what dreams are for. The same as sleep waking, you're looking for something. Perhaps this girl has been lying to herself about something...,,....?"  
  
He smiled, as Tokio gently moaned in her sleep.  
  
"Perhaps," he muttered.  
  
**WHOOO HOOOO!! After a spell check, the last few chapters will be SUBMITTED!! Unless I change my mind or something. 


	21. Take Me Home

**DISCLAIMER FOR RUROUNI KENSHIN. If anybody complains Pechan stole anything, they'll be complainin' with a black eye. Mwa ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaaa.................................. seriously, she doesn't own the Rurouni Kenshin series.  
  
~ Take Me Home ~  
  
Tokio once again was rudely awakened by a steam whistle. She pressed her face deeper into the nice warm pillow she had. She rubbed her eyes, and yawned, then opened them.  
  
Figures, the comfortable thing was that irritating man.  
  
She jumped, "PERVERT!!"  
  
He calmly looked at her, "I hardly think minding my own business makes me a pervert, Tokio."  
  
She huffed, hand on her heart. That was twice she woke up from sleeping on him. **GAH!! That sounded dirty!!**  
  
She shook her head, and frowned, "Well, you could've done the gentleman thing and push me off!'  
  
"Then people would get the wrong idea of me."  
  
"They're already getting the wrong idea of us," she frowned, eyes glaring.  
  
Kazumi only smiled, bouncing her awoken grandson on her lap, "A shame you two weren't awake the whole trip. I could have used a laugh."  
  
Tokio sighed, "Great, now my life is a sit com. (YES, those weren't invented yet but.................yeah.)  
  
Goro picked up his hat, and placed it on his head as people began to stand up. They started filing out, and Kazumi sighed, "Well, it's a good thing she didn't snore too loudly. Otherwise, poor little Kazuya would've woken up all the time!"  
  
Tokio felt a cloud over her head.  
  
"Oh, don't take it so seriously, dear, I'm only teasing." She stood up, cradling Kazuya in one arm. She bowed, "It was nice meeting you."  
  
Goro nodded, and Tokio stood, bowing, "You too!! And bye, Kazuya!!"  
  
Kazuya giggled a small bubble of spit on the side of his mouth. He waved his arms, kicking a bit, and Tokio squealed, "Heeyyyyyy, he said bye!!"  
  
"Sounded more like gibberish," Goro mumbled so she could hear.  
  
A temple popped on her head, "Don't start with me!!"  
  
Kazumi chuckled again, and shuffled out with the rest of the people, "how cute they are............."  
  
Tokio fell over, "I need to get away from you.................."  
  
Goro stood, fixing his hat, "You're the one that insists on following me-"  
  
She jumped up, walking behind him. She clasped her hands behind her back, and leaned over, twisting her head up to look at him, "I know it's bad to bring this up but uhhh....................... the whole trip was free, right?"  
  
"For now."  
  
She frowned, "I have no money, you know."  
  
"Whatever little money you have will be fine."  
  
She raised a fist at him, as he walked out of the train. She growled, "One of these days you'll be off your guard, then it's the horse pistol for you!!"  
  
"Thank you; I've never been compared to a horse."  
  
"How 'bout a jack @$$?"  
  
He smirked, glancing at her, "Several convicts have called me that."  
  
She giggled, and they got their bags. Of course, he offered to carry them for her, and she politely accepted. Well, it was more like, "Yeah, you better carry them."  
  
He sighed, "And she wonders why she's so lonely-"  
  
"I'm not lonely!! I love the life I have!! I'm free as a bird."  
  
"Birds get eaten a lot."  
  
She pouted, "Stop crashing everything I say!!"  
  
"As you wish," he smirked.  
  
They left the train station, and passed through the small section of foreign goods. No doubt she'd want to make a stop and the candy store. And sure enough, she stopped for a window. Not the candy one, though.  
  
"There it is," she sighed, "It's still here. Must be because it costs so much."  
  
"Or that not many people wear rings."  
  
She frowned, "Why wouldn't anyone want it?"  
  
"A wedding doesn't require a ring."  
  
"It is too important!! Why would the rest of the world do it?"  
  
He shrugged, "Everyone thought the world was round, too."  
  
"Ahhhh, shut up." She turned back to the diamond laced with gold into a circle, and she sighed, "It's so beautiful. And they said when somebody gives it to someone it swears eternal love. And diamond is harder than most metals, they last forever. So that even when you're dead and decayed, it still shines as beautiful as the day she got it, the day they began their love. Your love goes on forever inside that shiny little rock."  
  
"Is someone trying to imply something?"  
  
She pouted at him, then walked away from the glass, "I'm just saying why it means a lot to most people. It's not just some piece of jewelry I can stick in my hair whenever I want. I would have to wear it constantly. It shows my affection that person has for me."  
  
"Sounds more like a private property label."  
  
She jumped up to bop his head, but he was too tall, "Let me dream for a second, okay?"  
  
"Whatever you say," he said, smirking. He looked down at her, "When is your birthday?"  
  
"Why do you wanna know?"  
  
"You asked me first."  
  
"But you don't care."  
  
He shrugged, "You're right, I don't."  
  
She sighed, "November third. I was born in the fall." She smiled, and said, "I wear a dark orange kimono on my birthday. Burnt orange, the lady at the store said. And a burgundy obi (sash, belt, whatever), with gold thread. The kimono has blood red sakura petals on the bottom, and ebony trees at the hems. The big bow at the back, it's really pretty. It's all gold and scarlet. My birthday kimono's the best."  
  
"It sounds beautiful enough. You wear it ever year?"  
  
"Yep. And I wear it no other day. I also have a hair pin that goes with it, but I only wear it on that day too."  
  
She didn't say it was a stupid, yellow plastic hairpin that had a chip at the end of the plastic red ruby at the tip. It was her first hairpin from her mother. And she only wore it that day. Besides, it was ugly. But she couldn't bring herself to throw it away.  
  
She smiled, "Are you going to get me something for my birthday?"  
  
"Probably not. I'm working that day."  
  
She nearly fell over, and frowned, "then why'd you get me all worked up over it?"  
  
"You asked me first," he shrugged.  
  
She raised her finger to yell at him, and she noticed her favorite store in the whole wide world, "WAAAIII!!! Goro, Goro!! Can I have some money!!"  
  
"I noticed you only call me by my first name when you want something that badly-"  
  
She pouted, sticking out her bottom lip, "Pleeeaaaasssseee? I'll be nicer to you, I swear!!"  
  
He pulled out his wallet, "Empty promise."  
  
She snatched it, sticking out her tongue, "Only because you don't deserve my kindness!!"  
  
He smirked, as she ran in the candy shop like a child. "Not worthy of you, eh?" he whispered.  
  
She skipped out, sucking on a green roripoppu. "They said it's called raimu (lime), but it tastes kinda sour. Like a remon. (lemon )  
  
"You'll have a green tongue soon enough."  
  
She giggled, "Good. Hope it stays that way. It'll freak out all the men trying to rape me." She covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Even he managed to suppress his smile. He did love the way she shook off a tragedy, moving on.  
  
They talked more on the way to Tokio's house. She had finished two raimu roripoppuzu, and was swinging the paper bag as she lightly skipped next to him.  
  
"I think you get hyper form all that sugar."  
  
She giggled, "Ah, I just get a quick little boost. I'm usually very lazy and sit on my butt all day."  
  
"That explains the other chin."  
  
She tried to trip him, but he lightly stepped over her ankle. She growled at him for a good five minutes, though.  
  
"HEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYY, SEXY!!" sang a familiar voice.  
  
Before Tokio turned, a little busty lady tackled her, both driving into the ground. Tokio snarled underneath a giggling Rei at Goro, "You friggin' IDIOT!! WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HER?!!"  
  
He shrugged, "I didn't see her coming."  
  
"Liar!!"  
  
Rei giggled, and pulled Tokio up, holding out her hand, "'Sup? How's it goin'? Ain't it great we get to meet like this?"  
  
Tokio mumbled, taking her hand, "Yeah, fantastic."  
  
Rei giggled, "Sorry to tell ya, it's a business trip."  
  
Tokio frowned, "Business? With who?"  
  
She snickered, putting her finger to her lips, "It's all hush hush, girl. Sorry I can't tell ya." Rei turned her head, and looked up and saw Goro. She whispered, "Wow....................... like a friggin' tree, he's so tall!!"  
  
Tokio fell over, "Rei!!"  
  
Goro simply bowed, "Ah, a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rei."  
  
She squealed, "Oh, a gentleman!!" she jumped over to him, and picked up his hand, shaking it.  
  
Tokio felt a pang of jealousy, but insisted to herself it was just a stomach ache form all that candy.  
  
Rei shook his hand, "Hello! I'm Rei Tomoko! Are you Mr. Fujita?"  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
She smiled, "That makes you the assistant police inspector, doesn't it?"  
  
"Yes, do I know you?"  
  
She shook her head, "Nope! Just checking! Must be tough working all the time. Especially in a dangerous city like Kyoto" she laughed.  
  
"Rei, you laugh too much," stated Tokio.  
  
Rei giggled, "Ah, don't be silly." She turned back to Goro, "Ever think of taking a break?"  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
"My brother used to be a policeman, but quit. It was stressful. And stress causes gray hair."  
  
Tokio waved her arm, "He's got this week off anyways, Rei."  
  
"Oh, cool!" she said, turning back to Tokio. "Well, if you two ever get bored of dating, just remember Tokio, I got all week too!!"  
  
Tokio yelled after Rei, who ran off giggling, "ONE OF THESE DAYS I'LL DROP KICK YOU INTO A PILE OF-"  
  
"Who was that, Tokio?"  
  
She turned to Goro, who was watching Rei leave. She shrugged, "Just an old friend. Gosh, she's so embarrassing."  
  
"She acts a lot like a certain woman I know."  
  
She frowned, "Oh puh-leeze, I am SO not that annoying."  
  
"But you both are rude."  
  
She held up her hand, "Aaah, shut up. Come on, I'm sleepy. I plan on taking a nap once I get home."  
  
And they eventually did come to her house. But there was a paper on it. Goro noticed it before her, "Hnh. You better take a look."  
  
"What is it?" she looked at the paper, and her eyes bulged, "EH?!!"  
  
She ripped if off her door, and exclaimed, "EVICTED?!!" she read on, "WHAT THE- I SAID I'D PAY HIM BACK!!!"  
  
"How long ago was that?"  
  
Tokio sweated and looked at him, "A year?"  
  
"Yare yare..............."  
  
She sighed, "Dammit. And things were just starting to get good.........."  
  
He looked down at her, "Did you have anything left it the house?"  
  
She sighed, and crumpled up the paper, tossing it into the bush, "He said Miss Sae was kind enough to take my things, they're at her place. She offered to take them for me. Aww man............." She pushed her bangs away from her face. "I was hoping he'd wait a little longer."  
  
"Most people are touchy about money."  
  
She walked, sulking, "And I was hoping to go home and take a nice nap."  
  
"You can take one at Miss Sae's."  
  
"Miss Sae. Hah! She's a life saver. One of these days I'll pay her back."  
  
On the way to Sae's she nudged him.  
  
"Hnh?"  
  
"Thanks for walking me home, and to Miss Sae's home."  
  
He nodded, saying nothing. She put her hands behind her back, bending over to look up at him from his side, "You know, you're eyes are too narrow to be normal. Were they really born like that? Or, did you just not get enough sleep a lot?"  
  
"I was born with them."  
  
She squinted her eyes, imitating him, "You have eyes like those sumo that are so fat, their huge cheeks force their eyes shut."  
  
"...................................... a sumo. Another thing I never really compared myself to."  
  
She shrugged, laughing, "I'm just saying........." she looked at the Shirobeko, where they stopped. She held up her hand, "Can you wait here? I'll make it quick."  
  
He nodded, and lit a cigarette. Sure enough, it took a good twenty minutes, and possibly even more, since most girls had to catch up with their friends after they've been gone for a day or two. He crushed his cigarette, as she hopped out. She grinned, "Okay! She says it's okay if I went in her house and got changed at stuff. What are you doing after?"  
  
He smiled, and said, "I'm sorry, but while you were there, some of the police asked me-"  
  
She pouted, "You're going away?"  
  
He shook his head, "No, I have to do something quickly." He smirked, "Don't be so sad. I'm not leaving forever."  
  
She huffed, "Who says I'm sad?!! As soon as your gone, I'm racking me up a jug of sake and I'll drink till I pass out. Good ol' sake, get's rid of anything that get's you down."  
  
"Ah, so you do get sad when I leave-"  
  
"Only because no I have no one to bum money off of!"  
  
He shrugged, "Whatever you say."  
  
She crossed her arms, "Jerk."  
  
"Moron."  
  
She stuck out her tongue, "Mmmmnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!"  
  
He laughed, "Don't tempt me."  
  
Immediately, she sucked it back in, eyes growing larger than her head.  
  
He smirked, "I was only kidding."  
  
"YEAH RIGHT, YOU.... YOU PEDOFILE!!" she shrieked, pointing at his face.  
  
He calmly pushed her finger away, "It was green, anyways. Not a pretty sight."  
  
She giggled, "Good, then it's working."  
  
They got to Miss Sae's door, and Tokio pulled on it. The door slid open, and she peered inside. "Well, it's all empty. Guess now's a good a time as ever to take a bath." She sighed, and crossed her arms, "Hey, thanks again for making sure I got here safe."  
  
He set her bag down, "Don't mention it, Tokio." He tipped his cap, "I'll see you sometime this week, if I'm lucky."  
  
"If you're lucky? What do you mean?"  
  
"As I said, I have one last thing to do."  
  
She pouted, balling her hands into fists, "But you said you had a week!! You promised!"  
  
He shrugged, "I lied."  
  
"Why did you say that, then?!!"  
  
He looked at her, then slowly smiled. "I didn't want to see you sad."  
  
She gulped, swallowing her heart after it leapt out of her chest cage to hug him for saying such romantic-  
  
**HE'S A JERK, DAMMIT!!**  
  
She shook her head, "Well, I'm sad now!!!"  
  
"I know," he said sighing, "And I'll remedy it as soon as possible. Good day, Tokio." He said, walking away.  
  
Tokio bit her lip, watching him leave. Damn. And here she was looking forward to spending all week with that damn idiot. She sighed, and walked into the house, "Well, time to get cleaned up." 


	22. Dating!

**Pechan can't possibly own the Rurouni Kenshin characters, since she was into X-Men and Danger Girl at the time Rurouni Kenshin as made.  
  
~ Dating?! ~  
  
For four days, Tokio worked as a cook at the Shirobeko. Miss Sae was always glad to have her back, and shared plenty of gossip with her in the middle of the night. They played Japanese chess and such, and even played a drinking game once. It lead to both of them passing out and not waking up all day, but it was worth the fun. One day, as Tokio was slicing up some beef, Miss Sae giggled to her.  
  
"What is it?" smiled Tokio.  
  
"Oh, nothing. There's just a certain someone out there who wants a bowl of plain hot soba."  
  
Tokio gasped, "That idiot?!!"  
  
Sae giggled, and patted Tokio's hand, "Now Tokio, be nice to him. He is your friend, after all."  
  
Tokio laughed, placing he beef aside, "Sure, I'll get right on it." She finished the beef, and set it for a waitress to get. She poured some broth and added the noodles, and called, "Hey, is there a waitress for this order?"  
  
Miss Sae came up, "Sorry, Tokio. They're all busy. And besides, I think I'll take on as cook for now."  
  
"What am I supposed to do?"  
  
Sae giggled, "Well, you could take a break."  
  
Tokio sighed, laughing, "You tricky girl. Setting me up like this."  
  
"Don't lie, you know you missed him."  
  
"Your right. My knuckles could use a good practice."  
  
She pulled back the curtain, and scanned the room. In the front, she aw his back to her, facing the door. He was seated at the table, calmly sipping some brown tea. She inhaled, gathering up her courage. What was she nervous for? He bugged her a lot!!  
  
But she walked to his table anyways, and slid his bowl to him, "Plain hot soba," she smiled.  
  
Goro looked up, and smiled warmly, "Ah, good morning, Tokio. I thought you'd be working today."  
  
She sat across from him, on her heels. She untied her hair band, "Yeah yeah. What brings you here?"  
  
"Just came to check up on my friend," he smiled.  
  
She undid the cloth so that her black hair framed her perfect face once again in raven black tresses. Since she didn't have it tied up like always, it allowed her hair to take on a more natural shape. So that it was wavy, and curled naturally throughout. One curly wisp lay against her cheek in a near perfect spiral.  
  
After a minute, she pouted, "What?"  
  
He smiled, and picked up some noodles with his chopsticks, "Nothing."  
  
She smiled, crossing her elbows on the table, leaning forward a bit, "So, how's the police work? Bust any heads in yet? Raid any houses?"  
  
"Not yet, I'm afraid."  
  
She giggled, "Damn, those are all the good missions too. What have you been doing? Paperwork I bet."  
  
He looked up at her, eyes smiling, "You could say that."  
  
She put her chin on her fist, "Well? What's been going on these past four days?"  
  
"I've just been looking around the area a bit, doing little things here and there. I have to tie up all the loose ends before I go somewhere again."  
  
She pouted, "You're going again?"  
  
He waved his hand, "Ah, that is not certain yet."  
  
She bit her lip, and reached for his tea, "Hey, may I have some?"  
  
"Go ahead," he said, sipping the broth.  
  
She drank, her throat felt somewhat parched. She felt like such a ditz!! Here she was too shy to think of anything good to talk about!! And she was getting tripped up by him no less!  
  
He put down his bowl, and looked at her, "Tell me Tokio, how long have you ever held a job?"  
  
She bit her lip, "To be honest? The longest I ever had one was four months."  
  
"Were you fired?"  
  
"No, I usually quit."  
  
He lit a cigarette, sticking it into the corner of his lips, "Why? Did they bore you?"  
  
She nodded, "Yeah, eventually. I mean, I dunno. I usually just work if I'm that bored."  
  
"That's' a bad habit. Everyone has to work for a living."  
  
She smiled, "I bet with work like yours, you have enough money to sit around and do nothing the rest of your life."  
  
Goro smiled, exhaling silver wisps, "I probably do, I never really check."  
  
She sighed, "Must be great, never having to worry about money. Or a house," she muttered, rolling her eyes.  
  
"In a way, it is."  
  
"All this talk about jobs. Why do you ask, are you getting me one?" frowned Tokio.  
  
He shook his head, "No, just making small talk." He stood, putting money on the table. She stood too, and bent over to pick up her head band. "You're going?"  
  
"Yes, I have things to do."  
  
She smiled, tucking her hair back into her hair band, "You have a murder to solve or something?"  
  
"No, I'm off today."  
  
She fell over, "EH?!! why didn't you tell me!! We could have done something!!"  
  
"You had work," he said, placing his hat on his head. He smiled, "And besides, I'll be here when you get out."  
  
Her heart thumped, "Why?"  
  
"What do you mean 'why'? You're the one that's always asking to go with me."  
  
She sighed, "I know, but........ hey, you make me sound desperate!!"  
  
"Tokio, I don't have to do anything to make you seem desperate. Other than stand next to you."  
  
Everyone in the restaurant turned to their heads as she tried to claw out his eyes, but he caught her wrists, "Please, Tokio, you'll make another scene."  
  
She crossed her arms, pouting, "Well, when I see you at six, you can bet on getting your @$$ handed to you."  
  
He smiled, "So it's a yes then, is it?"  
  
She pouted, eyes closed, "Yes, it's a yes."  
  
She widened her eyes when she felt his hand pat her arm, "Good. I expect you to wait in the front for me."  
  
She retorted, "Hey, YOU should be waiting for ME at the steps!!"  
  
He merely smiled and, walked out the door.  
  
After he was gone, Miss Sae came up, "Oooooh, Tokio!! What if it's a date?!"  
  
Tokio frowned, turning, "That jerk wouldn't know a date if it came right up behind him and bit him in the @$$. Besides, he's probably going to rub in how I eat candy too much." She sighed, "Speaking of which, I could really got for some chokorato..............." 


	23. Farewell at 6:00

**Pechan would like to deeply apologize, since she said she'd be done with this story two chapters ago. so tomorrow she SWEARS ON HER LIFE IT'LL BE DONE BY THEN!!! And this chapter sucks, since her computer crashed before she could save. So, she had to start over again. It was a bit more romantic before so, there you have it, if it seems a little rushed.  
  
~ Farewell at 6:00 ~  
  
Tokio removed her apron, setting it down against the wall where she always kept it. She removed her hair band, and said to Sae, "Hey, need any help with the dishes?"  
  
Sae smiled, "Thank you, Tokio, but I think you'll be late for you're little date."  
  
She frowned, "Hey, it's not a date. He probably wants me to pose as a meshimori-onna again."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Tokio shook her head, "Ah, nothing." Tokio fingered the tips of her hair, then flicked them out of the way, "Well, if you don't need any help, then I guess I'll be off. But, I might be a little late."  
  
Sae giggled, setting a wet bowl down, "Oh, I understand, Tokio. You have a good time, you hear?"  
  
She blushed, "Uhh, thanks Sae."  
  
She grasped her hair again, and sighed. She didn't like her hair down. She always had it up in a bun, tied up all nicely with beautiful ornate pins. But, she usually didn't dress up for work, and she didn't have any with her. Ah well, a braid would work for tonight. She began to start a sideways braid, as she walked to the front of the restaurant. She stopped at a glass mirror where people sometimes waited to be seated, and she applied a fresh coat of make up to her lips and eyes. She didn't like braid, it looked a bit sloppy. But, she liked it better than down. For some reason, her hair left down felt vulnerable to her. She stepped into her lacquered getas, and lightly stepped out. She glanced around the place, peeking around the building, but could find Goro.  
  
She sighed, and frowned, "Jerk. I told him to wait for me!!" She gasped, when a hand clamped on her shoulder.  
  
"I did."  
  
She batted it away, "Geez, you scared me!! I thought you were a rapist!!" looking up at Goro Fujita.  
  
"No, I'm more dangerous than that," he smirked.  
  
She laughed, "Whatever," she started in pace with him, and asked, "So! Where to?"  
  
"You'll see," he replied. He looked down at her, "I rarely see you hair down."  
  
She shrugged, "It makes me feel uncomfortable. Unarmed, you know? I least I have a few stabbing weapons in my hair, with the hair pins, heh heh..........." she giggled.  
  
He smiled, "Well, long hair looks nice on you."  
  
She gulped.  
  
**Let's wear it down all the time!!**  
  
She frowned, and huffed, "Well, yeah? Long hair is hard to keep manageable, it always tangles up. I mean, you know what I mean, right? You used to have long hair!"  
  
He smiled, saying nothing. His sword clinked at his side in it's sheath.  
  
She pouted, "You really carry that everywhere, huh? Even off duty?"  
  
He smiled, "I am permitted to."  
  
"Doesn't mean you have to."  
  
"Doesn't mean I can't."  
  
She frowned, "It's a good thing I have a guy that answers back ALL the time. Otherwise, all my questions of the unknown shall go un answered."  
  
"See how lucky you are?"  
  
She tried to bop his head, but he was too tall. She growled for a good five minutes at him, though.  
  
Presently, they came to the gates of a house. Tokio glanced around, "Hey, nice place. Who's house is this? I don't see the family name."  
  
He said nothing as he opened the gate. It creaked open, and he slipped inside. For a big guy, he really made no noise when going about in the dark. Tokio was not so sneaky. In socks, she can sneak up on people. Most assassins do. But in heavy wooden getas? She tripped on her way in, "OOF!!"  
  
He made that suppressed laugh again, "Need any help?"  
  
She got up, "Ahh, shut up." She wiped her skirt, and looked around. There was a stone pathway leading to a medium sized house. The wood was old, even in the dark she could see it had lost some of it's shine. Weeds poked through the stones, struggling to grasp the few rays of light from the red sun as it set. Tokio walked towards the small porch of the house. Goro ascended the steps, the wood groaning under his feet. Obviously, the place was a little old.  
  
"Who's place is this?" she asked again. "I mean, it looks like whoever it is isn't taking care of it very well. Or................." she looked up at him, "Hey, does anybody even live here?"  
  
He smiled at her, opening the door. "No."  
  
He stepped into the shadows inside. She stared at the black nothingness, as her mind squealed, **WE'LL BE IN AN ABANDONED HOUSE ALL ALONE TOGETHER!!**  
  
She bopped her own head, driving away all thought, and instead tried to focus on cute little bunnies.  
  
"Well? Aren't you going to come in?" he called from the darkness.  
  
She frowned, "When I'm good and ready!!"  
  
She stepped up the stairs, and stopped at the shadows. It was dark in there, but she heard him moving in there. She slipped out of her getas, and silently stepped inside. But it was darker than she thought, and she could barely see anything. The sun went down completely, leaving her in the darkness. And she didn't like the dark. In the Revolution, people screamed in the dark, and she couldn't see them. Couldn't help them. Too afraid of her own life to do anything.  
  
She didn't realize she was breathing rather hard, as she waved her arms about, taking cautious steps, "Hey, it's ummm, k-kinda dark in here....."  
  
Goro called, "Your eyes will adjust."  
  
She gulped, and stopped, nearly paralyzed, "Hey, don't leave me here! I can't see!"  
  
Her hands clutched and clawed at the air, hoping to find a wall. Instead, she felt warm, gloved fingers slowly curl around hers. She gasped, as they tightened around her hand, as Goro led her through the dark. She kept her hand on her heart to keep it from beating so loud, as he pulled her into what seemed to be a room. There, he let go. Instantly it felt cold without his touch. She bit her lip, and said, "Man, you.......... you sure can see in the dark pretty good, huh?"  
  
"Hnh," he said, as she heard something pop. She saw his match strike on the ground, and it lit a candle in the room. The room lit up considerably well, and she could see they were in a guest room. There were a few cob webs in the corners, and looked considerably old. But, she could tell it's still a nice house. He rose, and faced her.  
  
She rubbed her neck. "So what this place for?" she grinned, "Are you going to lure a band of murderers here and kill them?"  
  
He smiled, "Tell me. Could you clean a house like this?"  
  
She blinked, "Excuse me?"  
  
"Could you possibly turn this place livable?"  
  
She shrugged, "Well, sure I can. I mean, to make it look spic and span I'd say three days, at least. But yeah, it doesn't need anything fancy down to it." She tapped the walls, "It's in pretty good condition. Wonder why the owners left it?" she walked over to a door and opened it, revealing a closet, "Hey they even left a few futons in here!!"  
  
She grinned devilishly, "Hey, wanna have a sleep over?"  
  
He smirked, "I'm sorry, but I'm already booked for the night."  
  
She pouted, "Huh? What do you mean?"  
  
"Meaning I'm going somewhere tonight."  
  
She turned around eyes wide, "How come? You said you had the week off!!"  
  
He shrugged, "I lied."  
  
She bit her lip, then frowned, "Moron!! Why'd you go lie about that?!!"  
  
"................. I thought I said I didn't want to see you sad."  
  
She widened her eyes, holding a gasp. Something about the way his said it sent a wave of warmth to caress her body. She bit her lip, "Yeah? Well, nice going!! I sure don't feel happy right now!!"  
  
He smiled, "It's nice to know you miss me already."  
  
She frowned, "Don't flatter yourself. Anyways, what was the point of bringing me here? To show me some great Japanese architecture?" she chuckled.  
  
He smiled again, "Do you like it?"  
  
Her heart thumped, "W-Why?"  
  
"If you can keep it clean, you can have it."  
  
Her knees shook, her mouth went dry, and she was afraid her eyes would pop out of her skull. She put her hand to her lips, "You're kidding!!"  
  
"No, I'm not."  
  
She shook her head, "You............ when did you do this?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Buy a house!!"  
  
"Today."  
  
"Why?"  
  
He shrugged, leaning against the wall, "You were lacking one," he pulled out a cigarette, lighting it, "Besides, it was more on spur of the moment."  
  
She nearly fell over, "People buy candy on the spur of the moment!! They buy nice kimonos spur of the moment!! They don't BUY A HOUSE FOR SOMEONE, SPUR OF THE MOMENT!!"  
  
"This person does." He took a drag of his cigarette, "Besides, it's not free. You need to clean it. I'm sure a broom and a bucket with rags will cost something."  
  
"But how am I supposed to pay for it?!"  
  
"I'm not renting it, Tokio. I bought it. You don't have to pay for anything."  
  
She gulped, "You did all that............... for me?"  
  
He smirked, smoking, "Think of it as a good bye present."  
  
She tilted her head, "Good bye? Oh yeah, when are you going to come back?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
She pouted, thinking, and counted on her fingers, "Like, two weeks? Three?"  
  
He shook his head, "I don't know, Tokio."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I'm going alone."  
  
"Alone........?" she smiled, coming to him, "Well hey, take me with you! Where to?"  
  
Goro looked at her, smiling, "I am sorry Tokio, but I need to go alone this time. And I might not come back anytime soon."  
  
"....................... like, a month?"  
  
He shook his head gently, "I can't tell, Tokio. After all, I'll be stationed there."  
  
"Well, I'll go with you!"  
  
"You can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I bought you a house to stay here."  
  
"Well......................" she huffed, "I don't' want it!!!"  
  
He stared at her, "Excuse me?"  
  
"I-I mean, it's your house, right? I........ I don't wanna be all alone in it!! It's too big for me all by myself."  
  
He smiled, "Ah, then fill it with a family sometime."  
  
"What do you mean...................?"  
  
"I mean I'm going, Miss Tokio," he said, putting his hat back on, "And I may not come back."  
  
That time, Tokio got it. She didn't realize she put her fingers to her lips, "No.............. you, you always come back!"  
  
Saito didn't like to see her like that. With distress screaming in her eyes. She was panicked. She didn't like to be alone, no matter how many times she lied to herself. In truth, he loved it when she was in the dark. She went meek, calling for his help. She needed him, and he guided her. And she allowed it. When she felt lost, it seemed she needed ........... wanted him the most..........  
  
Of course, he wasn't doing this intentionally to see her at this state. He said slowly, "I know, and I'll try Tokio. But I'm just saying, I don't want you to wait up on me."  
  
"What are you saying?!!"  
  
He turned away, "I'm saying don't become an old maid just because I'm not around. If I don't come back in a year, do whatever you want. Just don't go looking for me. And don't wait for me. You'll waste your time."  
  
She slightly frowned, disbelief still lingering in her voice, "So that's it then, is it?! You're just gonna go, and tell me to forget about you?"  
  
"You can remember or forget me, Tokio, it doesn't really matter. I'm just saying," he said, turning, and looking into her eyes, "That it would be wise for you to move on."  
  
"Why?" she said, and her breathing accelerated, "Is it....... is it because I act weird?! I mean, I can change that, if you want-"  
  
"I don't want you to change, Tokio. I never want you to change."  
  
Tokio didn't notice her bottom lip quivering, "Then why are you leaving me?"  
  
He wanted to tell her he had no choice. So, he said it simply put, "I am ordered to."  
  
"Then quit!!"  
  
"......................... Tokio," he sighed, "I can't quit the government like that. They rely on me-"  
  
"SCREW THEM!! What about me?!"  
  
Goro sighed, and crushed his cigarette. "Tokio, I was hoping you wouldn't be this upset."  
  
"What'd you think I would do? Cartwheels?!!" she walked up to him, "Where would you be going?"  
  
"I won't tell you. You'll just follow me."  
  
She didn't argue with that. She'd just probably jump on the back on the train he'd leave on tonight if he told her.  
  
He turned away again, "If you look under the futon, I put your bag of things underneath it. I got it from Miss Sae. She was happy to hear you have a new house now."  
  
She looked at the closet, and opened it. Sure enough, when she turned over the futon, there was her bag. She opened it, and her kimonos and hair pins lay there.  
  
Somehow, seeing them there, it felt like he had just taken her whole life out of his, and dumped them here. She couldn't take this. For some reason................ fine, for the SAKE OF LOVE, SHE COULDN'T TAKE THIS.......  
  
She ran to him, and grabbed the bottom of his jacket. He turned, and found her frowning, but her eyes trembled. She turned him around, and grabbed his white gloved hand. She breathed, holding it, and slapped her hand in it.  
  
"You WILL come back, you hear me?"  
  
He watched her, her eyes tightly shut, to keep any tears from leaking. She removed her hand, leaving a hairpin. It was ivory, with gilded lines scrawling to a fanned out tip. The tip had holes, where golden rings were looped through. It jingled slightly, and three green tear drops of jade ran down the spine of it. Elegant and refined. A hairpin that seemed nearly opposite of Tokio's personality. But perfect with her looks.  
  
"Listen," she said, "It's my favorite one, alright?! So you're going to give it back to me one day!!" she looked at him, glaring, "Cause if you don't I'll hunt you down and gut you like a fish."  
  
Goro slowly smiled, hearing her threaten him with sad eyes. "It matches your eyes." He slowly closed his fingers on it, and slipped it into his pocket, "I'll try to, Tokio. But, you might never see it again-"  
  
She turned away, and said, "Don't even say it, because you are coming back. Whether you like it or not."  
  
Goro smiled deeply, bowed, "Then please take care."  
  
She sniffed, and he stopped. She sniffed again, "I mean, you will come back. Because if, you don't............ I mean, if you don't, I won't be able to go on trips anymore. You know?"  
  
He watched her, listening to her.  
  
"And, we can't go eat soba anymore. And stupid things like................. I won't be able to hit you anymore. Or kick you. And you won't be able to make fun of me if you don't c-come back........." her voice almost failed at the end.  
  
"..................................... Tokio, please understand. Don't fill yourself with useless hope. I may not-"  
  
"God DAMMIT!! HUMOR ME, WILL YOU?!!" she shouted, balling her hands into fists at her side, "I mean, just pretend you'll come back!! Pretend you'll come back here to give me back my hair pin, pretend that you don't want to leave, just PRETEND YOU WANT TO STAY WITH ME!!"  
  
He widened his eyes a bit, "Tokio....................."  
  
"I......I....." she sniffed, and she brought a hand to her face, probably to wipe her tears. "I mean, I know you can't come back. Because you have to go. But if this really is our last night, I mean............ can't we just make believe we'll see each other again?"  
  
She still had her back to him, but she hugged herself, wanting oh so badly to be hugged. She felt cold, and she shuddered. She clenched her teeth, trying not to cry out loud, trying not to wail. She wanted to be the strong girl he was used to that he commented so much on. She didn't want to disappoint him.  
  
Saito realized just how much she wanted to be with him. All this time, he thought she just had crush on him. Since he saved her and everything twice. But no. It was more than that. She tried not to be to save face. Nothing as more pitiful than a woman on her knees, begging a man to stay. But he bet if such rules weren't viewed as just pitiful desperation, she would be doing so right now.  
  
Indeed, this may be his last night. There were many other nights, that may be his last. But he may not see her again after this. He usually came back to Kyoto, but he was usually on the move mostly. Being sent out to places all the times, to kill one here, or a group there.  
  
No, she didn't need a man that couldn't be there for her all the time.  
  
But here she was. Trying to be strong. To make him happy. If this was going to be like their last night.............  
  
He came behind her, his chest grazing her back, his lifted his arms slowly, and she opened her eyes, lightly gasping. He crossed his arms around her, and rested them around her chest. His hands clutched her arms, and he pulled her to his chest. She sniffed, eyes clenched, and teeth grit.  
  
He really did want to be with her. He had decided ever since the train ride home. She was a respectable woman, when she needed to be. And he did enjoy her. Everything about her. Her looks, her mind, her humor, her insults, her way of life, the way she thought, the way she talked, walked, and he even admitted that yes, he would definitely love her body.  
  
He didn't much care for her tears, though. He didn't know exactly how to cure a woman of that. But he gently placed his cheek against hers, bending his neck over her. She moaned slightly, trying to restrain a sob, and tilted her head up. This caused his arms to go tighter. He felt he had to; he was responsible for her pain.  
  
-He had no idea how responsible he was for her pain-  
  
She whimpered, "G-Goro........."  
  
He pulled his head back, as she turned to him, her face close to his, "What am I gonna do without you?"  
  
He looked into those twin pools of green that were her eyes. They looked on the verge of despair. Like they were lost. Like they could do nothing else but make him feel bad this very moment.  
  
"What am I supposed to do?"  
  
He didn't realize he reached for her until his palm rested on her cheek. She gasped, and he whispered, "You will move on, Tokio. Please, if I do not come, don't waste your life waiting. I want you to move on. Do you hear me?"  
  
She sniffed, "No-"  
  
His fingers went under her chin, and tilted her face up to his, "Tokio, I will try to come back. Do you understand?" he blinked, looking away, "I will try, but I can't............... I can't guarantee." He sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. "Tokio, I can only promise."  
  
After a long silence, Tokio drew a shuddering breath, cold without his warm embrace, and whispered, "That's all I ask for."  
  
He gazed longingly at her, realizing that this was slightly more difficult than it seemed. He turned, "Good bye, Miss Tokio."  
  
He left the room as silently as he came in. Tokio was left alone, in this house that he bought for her. A whole house, that he expected her to fill with a family. Someday.  
  
**it ends bad because I have to go now. I'll type more later, so nighty night!! 


	24. Bohica

**Pechan hates disclaimers. They're very boring, and STATE THE OBVIOUS. And she hates spell check. It can turn a misspelled word like 'siure' into 'squire' when she really meant to spell 'sure'. IT'S BEEN IRRITATING HER ALL DAY!! Anyways, she doesn't own any Rurouni Kenshin things. Except all the things she could buy with Saito's face on it. Nyah ha!!  
  
~ Bohica ~  
  
The first day Tokio woke up alone in the big house was the day he left. He left as soon as he gave her the house. Instantly, her elation to depression. So for the first day of waking up alone, and staying alone, was rather rough. She didn't move all morning. Presently, she became bored with being depressed. So she began to busy herself with cleaning the house. She started to sweep the porch, during the whole time she didn't cry. After she swept the porch, she began to get on her knees to yank out the weeds coming for all sorts of cracks in the stone pathway, and anywhere eyes. Her eyes did not water. She dipped a cloth into a full bucket of water, and began to scrub the floors. She didn't have any tears falling, mixing into the bucket lately.  
  
She didn't cry. Yesterday she cried for the whole night, until she felt she had sucked out all the moisture in her body. She was surprised she could still spit, she felt empty. A weird analogy, but it's what she felt. In fact, when she woke up, she didn't cry. She didn't cry as she sat, looking at the wall for a good two hours. She didn't cry when she began to clean the house. And she didn't feel like she needed to.  
  
She didn't know what was happening to her, but she felt no sadness. Just..................... just set back, as if that little incident got her sidetracked. But something big did happen. He was gone. And may never come back. He may have left her behind for good. Or maybe, he just couldn't come back.................  
  
It should had driven her to tears, like last night, but now, she felt different. As if a burden was lifted. As if, she didn't have to care anymore. She no longer had to care what he was thinking about her, she no longer had to dress up for him, and she no longer had to get out of her way to spend time with him. He was gone, and with hi, all the responsibilities that came to loving him.  
  
Instead of feeling sad, she felt nothing. She was empty. And the only thing she wanted to do right now was to clean the house, since she'd be leaving in it.  
  
So it's what she did. For a good whole day. She didn't even feel hungry. In fact, she didn't feel like she had to eat anything again. Well, of course, her stomach and heart were empty! Why bother filling it up again? It'll just empty later. Or sooner. Or she'd collapse, whichever comes first.  
  
With no worries of whatever happens to her, she softly hummed some unknown song to herself, as she scrubbed the kitchen. Not a bad house. It was just hiding under a layer of dust. Now that it was clean, anyone would like to keep it. Maybe she'd even sell it, if she didn't need it anymore.  
  
But the thought left her, as she ran he finger down the wall post. That wouldn't be fair. It was given to her. and she never was one to give away a gift. No matter hoe useless it would be to her.  
  
**You're being rather harsh. Is this the anger part of depression?**  
  
A gun would be nice. If she had money to buy a gun, she'd go out and pick one up, and shoot the damn conscious that had been nagging at her for years.  
  
That night she didn't change as she slept in her days clothes.  
  
The next day, for lack of any interest in working or eating, she began to sweep the porch.  
  
It surprised her, hearing someone knock at her gates. They swung open a bit, and Rei poked her head in.  
  
"Hi ho!!" she sang, she closed the door behind her, and walked in. She wore a purple kimono with white stripes.  
  
Tokio smiled, "Yo, what's up?"  
  
Rei giggled, and skipped over, "Nothin' much. Heard your guy split on ya."  
  
Tokio said nothing, and began to sweep again.  
  
"Hey, don't get mad or sad, or whatever it is your doing now. I just came to tell you, don't worry about it. I mean, hey, nice house you have now!! Maybe next time you can date some other old guy and he'll get you a maid before he splits." Rei giggled.  
  
Tokio eyed her levelly, "Rei, I'm in no mood."  
  
"No, of course not, sorry," she held out her hand, and grinned, "But, you are holdin' up all right, aren't ya?"  
  
Tokio smiled, and shook her head, "Yeah, I'm holding up all right. I mean, he was an idiotic dumb@$$. Who needs him?"  
  
"Denial. I love that stage." Rei nodded.  
  
Tokio frowned, "I mean it."  
  
Rei shrugged, "Hey, sure, whatever helps you sleep at night," before Tokio could sock her she crossed her arms, "Aaaaaaaaannnyyyyywaayyyyyyyyssss, that cop is gone for good, right?"  
  
"Why? Would he have gotten in the way of your new job?"  
  
"Bull's eye!!"  
  
Tokio swept some more, "Well, whatever. Just don't drag me into it."  
  
Rei chuckled nervously, hands clasped behind her back. "Well ya see, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Cause as it turns out, I do need you for something."  
  
Tokio frowned, "What the hell for?"  
  
Rei giggled, "Silly, Tokio!! Didn't you figure it out? Geez, I was at the hot springs with ya and I even followed you home!"  
  
Tokio widened her eyes, as Rei slid a knife out of her obi's bow. "My job is you!!"  
  
**Bohica comes from the comic book 'Negation'; it's where it was used over and over it mean. (it might have been used somewhere else, but that's where I saw it first and only thus far) It means, "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again." Another cute name for, 'The sh!t really starts to hit the fan now'.** 


	25. Rei

**Pechan is still refusing any rights to Rurouni Kenshin.  
  
~ Rei ~  
  
Tokio was too shocked at first. But quickly, she rolled out underneath Rei, as Rei leapt at her. Tokio ended up on the other side, and spat angrily, "WHAT THE F—K ARE YOU DOIN'?!!"  
  
"My job, Tokio," Rei said, giggling. She tapped her blade against the walks, "Why do you think I visited you at Hakode? Cause I got the money, or somethin'?"  
  
Tokio jumped out of her way again, backing against the walls. Tokio growled, "This isn't funny Rei."  
  
"No, it isn't. Bein' an assassin's a tough job. Especially tracking down an old pal like you."  
  
Tokio couldn't believe this!! Rei was such an idiot, how could she orchestrate............  
  
"I gotta tell ya, when your first two assassins died on the job, I was getting a little worried. I didn't really want to kill you myself."  
  
"Kill me myself.......? What the hell.......?"  
  
Rei tossed the knife up and down a few times, "Well, since your gonna die, I guess it's alright to tell you. The first one was Gichi, who took up a job a day after you did. We sent him there, but he said he wanted to taste you first. That ended up in his failure. We should've known. He was a moron, anyways."  
  
Tokio narrowed her eyes, wiping away a bead of sweat, "And Yoshida?"  
  
"Yoshida surprised us. We knew he used to date you, but we didn't know he still loved you. He wanted to carry you to heaven, before he sent you to hell. Figures, this is the last time we send a guy after a woman. They all think with theirs loins, anyways....."  
  
Tokio grit her teeth, "You're a f--kin' liar, Rei. And you suck so bad at it."  
  
Rei continued as if she didn't hear, "See, we found the problem though!! That big police guy that was followin' ya, he was always there killing off my buds whenever you were involved."  
  
"THAT LITTLE SH!T GICHI WAS A FRIEND OF YOURS?"  
  
Rei frowned, "Tokio, he was a good drinking buddy of mine!! Speak a little more with respect, the guy's dead-"  
  
"And he's better off that way," Tokio snarled, "Do you have any idea what he did to me?"  
  
"Cut you down there? That surprised me. I didn't think he hated you that much, but he was a jealous type."  
  
Tokio backed up, and fell over the steps. She landed on her back, wincing, and looking at Rei. Rei twirled the knife in her hands, grasping it for a stabbing like move. She smiled, "It was nice seein' you again, though."  
  
She lunged at her, and Tokio threw Rei's red lacquered geta at her face. She purposely fell over, pretending to stumble, to hide she was picking one up.  
  
The wooden sandal cracked against Rei's face, and Rei fell back, her attack cut short. A spurt of blood erupted form her nose, as she landed in a heap by the front door.  
  
Tokio scrambled up, and ran for the gate.  
  
But two kunais landed in front of her, pinning to the wall. Tokio frowned, "You really want to get hurt, do you............"  
  
Rei stood, wiping her bloody nose, "Shut up, Tokio. If you ever took your job seriously, you would'a seen I was planning this for a good month now."  
  
Tokio frowned at her, glaring poison. Without looking, she swiped up the kunais that were shaped like two metal diamonds. "What do you want me dead for?"  
  
"I don't want you to. Someone paid me to. I just had to plan it out for them too."  
  
"Who's them?!!"  
  
Rei giggled, "Sorry!! Telling you would be CHEATING!!"  
  
With the last word she dove for her, and Tokio struck as well. It was just like sparring, but with knives. Rei stabbed a strike down, and Tokio sidestepped away, and stabbed her right elbow.  
  
"NNGGK!!" she went, and Rei clutched her arm.  
  
Tokio tossed the kunai in her hands, "Let's see how good you fight now, lefty."  
  
Rei smiled at her, and switched her blade to her left hand, "I did train with both hands, you know."  
  
She charged again, and Tokio threw the kunai at her. She meant to stab her shoulder to stop her, but she ducked under it. She did it so fast, she didn't notice that she had ducked under her, and kicked straight up. Tokio saw a red burst in her eyes before she slammed against the ceiling post on the porch.  
  
Tokio groaned, slowly rising. She hadn't eaten for three days. She was paying for it now.  
  
Rei giggled, "Ya know, I didn't plan on that cop leaving so soon. It was a stroke of luck. It made things much easier. The only reason I didn't get you at the hot springs was because he was with you. And he smelled like blood; nasty smell. That's why I always hit and run." she sighed, "But, he followed you home, too. And here I was about to forget the whole thing, when I see him hitch a train to god knows where. Alls I know is, 'Hey!! Good news for me, since he won't be here to save you this time!' I bet it broke your heart, the way he just left like that. I never figured for the damsel in distress chick, but, you know the old saying! 'You think you know a guy when......'."  
  
Tokio widened her eyes.  
  
**......Goro...........**  
  
"Adios, Tokio!!"  
  
Rei lunged at her again, blade pointed straight forward. Tokio frowned, then scoffed, "A knife? Knives can't do the things a sword can,"  
  
She reached forward, and blocked the blade, by letting it pierce through her palm. She tightened her fingers around the hilt, and Rei gasped, since Tokio managed to block her whole attack through this gruesome way.  
  
"You can't slice anyone in half with a knife. All you do is knick and piss 'em off."  
  
Tokio yanked the blade forward, dragging Rei down with it. There, she thrust her knee into Rei's face again. Rei keeled backwards again, this time her lip was bleeding with her nose.  
  
Tokio giggled, and put up her hand, "What it is he would say when something small got in his way? Heh," she bit the handle of the blade, and pulled out the knife with her teeth. She smiled, and said through her bite, "Yare yare............."  
  
Rei gasped, as Tokio grasped the blade in her bleeding right hand, and pounced upon her. Tokio slammed the knife down, stabbing the ground right next to Rei's ear.  
  
Rei half shrieked and gasped, and clenched her eyes. Tokio was sitting on her stomach, bending over her, her face close to hers.  
  
She narrowed her eyes, "You're not the mastermind. But you talk very well to be one."  
  
Rei whimpered, as Tokio withdrew the blade, and drew a crimson line across her face, "I wonder who sent you?"  
  
Rei stuttered, "I'm not t-telling you!!"  
  
Tokio sighed, and looked at the puny little blade she held, "Tsk tsk tsk, Rei. Not only was she the shortest, she also carried the shortest blade. Most people compensate for that."  
  
Rei tried to punch her, but Tokio drove the knife into her fist. Rei screamed.  
  
Tokio rose, "Shut up. And get out."  
  
Rei was whimpering on the floor.  
  
Tokio was going to kick her, "Get the hell out of here!! If you have any dignity, you'll go commit seppuku somewhere. But not in this house," Tokio warned, "Cause I have to clean it."  
  
Rei slowly sat up, and looked at her stabbed fist, the knife still embedded there.  
  
"If you so much as think about using that knife on me, I'll kill you Rei."  
  
Rei bit her lip, and glared at Tokio. Tokio didn't even look at her, "I mean it, Rei. And you know I can do it. You're no match for me, no matter what kind of mental edge."  
  
Rei gasped.  
  
Tokio sneered, eyes closed, "You thought I'd be weak and helpless just because Goro's gone? Hell no!! I'm even stronger."  
  
Tokio looked down at her bleeding hand. "See, he is a bastard, but he did teach me something. I don't need him. I never needed him. Me kicking your @$$ proves it. A top assassin like you couldn't pick me off."  
  
Rei growled, pulling out her blade, "My employer will be very angry if you don't die."  
  
"I'm curious, you're not even gonna tell me who, Rei? I thought we were friends."  
  
Rei screamed, and jumped for her, "You're just a TARGET, KOBAYASHI!!"  
  
Tokio did everything so fast. Rei lunged at her, both arms outstretched, with her left hand pointed the blade for her head. Tokio bent low, grabbed her hand clutching the blade, chopped down with her other arm on Rei's elbow holding the knife, and collapsed Rei's arm on herself. Leading Rei to stab her own shoulder.  
  
Rei screamed openly, and Tokio flipped her to the floor.  
  
"So what if I never killed anything? If I kill you, that must prove something. Imagine, in all my years of training, I never lifted a finger to kill anyone. I did lots of planning, but didn't go out killing yet. Now you, you're different. You said you killed lots of people. Since I kill you, does your kill record go on mine? That'd be sweet."  
  
Rei spat out blood, and growled, "F—k you, b!tch. I hope you burn someday."  
  
Tokio frowned, crossing her arms, "So you DID put this party together, huh?" Tokio grinned, "Well, it sucks."  
  
Rei pulled the knife form her shoulder. Tokio frowned, "Don't make me kill you."  
  
"You never could kill anybody, so as far as it goes, I still have the winning edge!!"  
  
Tokio sighed, and let Rei charge. She let Rei come for her, but she side stepped, and struck her neck. The perfect way to paralyze your opponent, was to cut off the nerves temporarily.  
  
Rei couldn't even gasp, as she fell face forward on the ground.  
  
"Stay down," Tokio warned.  
  
Tokio panted, and looked at her hand. It was bleeding quite a lot. She sighed, and tore off a strip of Rei's kimono. She tied it around her palm, and even tied up Rei's wounds.  
  
It was hard work, tending to this crazy girl, but Tokio felt obligated to.  
  
When Rei got back some of her nerves, and began to groan, Tokio punched her. This made Rei go unconscious.  
  
Tokio hooked her arm around Rei's shoulder, and hoisted her up.  
  
Tokio flung open her gates, and grinned, "Now, won't Doctor Gisen be impressed? This time, I'm taking home the unconscious girl."  
  
A good beating always led Tokio to her senses. Her life was busy enough without Goro. And besides, she decided she was a burden on the guy, anyways. Always getting hurt, and he had to get out of his way to save her.  
  
She sighed, and hummed another unknown tune. Maybe that was it. He realized she was more trouble than she was worth, and split. She shrugged, "Ah well. I see his point." She sighed, "Wished he woulda told me, though..........."  
  
Tokio told herself that lie while Gisen helped patch up her palm. Somehow, thinking he didn't care about her made her feel better. It led her to believe she didn't care about him.  
  
And keeping your feeling keepings at bay ...........  
  
............................. is much easier than facing them up front. 


	26. Tokio Fujita

** PECHAN OWNS NOTHING!!!  
  
~ Tokio Fujita ~  
  
For the first four months, Tokio worked back at the Shirobeko. She turned Rei over to the cops, where they gave her the death sentence. Tokio did go to her grave, though. She felt obligated to, since she used to giggle with this girl during the Revolution over tea and cute boys.  
  
She had her appetite back, and even went to the candy shop once or twice.  
  
Tokio giggled and smiled again at people. She created small talk to her new neighbors, and they got the impression that she was a single girl, just working hard to keep her house. In truth, she was.  
  
She went on shopping sprees with Sae and her sister Tae sometimes, and they would see all the latest fashions and such. Tokio didn't really buy them, that much. And she didn't lie to herself. She didn't feel the need to dress up anymore. She liked dressing up for him; she liked seeing his approval, his interest spark within her. When she came to terms with it one night, she would smile at the thought. She made such a big deal about it.  
  
She would jump ten feet if they accidently bumped into each other, and she would beat him if he ever said anything mean to her.  
  
She would laugh, what child she was. And sometimes she had wished maybe she should have been nicer.  
  
After six months passed, she grew a little less hopeful each day of his return. She would sigh, and say, "Well, he did tell me he wouldn't come back..............." then she she'd giggle, and say to herself, "Now I wish I gave him a cheaper hair pin, not my favorite. I kinda miss it now."  
  
**I also miss the guy holding it for me.**  
  
She sighed, "Pfft, stupid conscious. What does it know? If it was so great, why doesn't it control my body, and I sit in the head?"  
  
**Normal people don't have arguments with their conscious. Moron.**  
  
She hated her mind. It was such a smart @$$.  
  
She went to a few parties with Sae, just social gatherings with food. She would talk with other men, and she would giggle with their jokes, and smile when they commented how pretty she was. None had used the word beautiful. Tokio noted this, and kept giving them smiles. Nothing more.  
  
She always came home before sundown, unless she had to work late. And she would always clean the house every week. Why? It gave her something to do. Pretty soon, she was really good at doing house hold chores. Like cooking and cleaning. Well, she was already and accomplished cook, but keeping maintenance on a house was kind of hard work.  
  
After seven months, she discovered a well behind a shrub. She dipped in a bucket, and out came water.  
  
How long was it there?  
  
Well, whatever. It was water, and since it was covered up, there was no dirt or mud in it. This made things easier, since she didn't have to go out for a bucket of water from the neighbor's well.  
  
Nine months had passed. A year was almost over. Yet, against his wishes, she waited.  
  
One evening, she started to undress for bed. She took out her hair pins, when a knock came to her door. It was late, it was dark. She didn't want to go wandering in the dark. She sighed, and ignored it. She slipped out of her kimono, and pulled on a yukata. The knock came again.  
  
She let out an exasperated sigh, "Be right there!!"  
  
She tied her obi sash, and stood. She tossed her hair behind her, and sighed. She forgot to take off her make up. She reminded herself to wash it off before she forgot. Last time she forgot, she woke up to find black and red smears on her pillow and futon. And make up back then was harder to clean.  
  
She slid the door, "This better be goo-"  
  
And there he was.  
  
They both said nothing. She had her eyes open wide, and her lips parted slightly. Her black hair was tumbled in waves about her shoulders, and she slightly blushed.  
  
He wore his uniform, and he had his hat in his hand. A sword was clipped to his belt.  
  
Nothing changed.  
  
He bowed, "Good evening. May I come in?"  
  
Tokio pinched herself. He smiled, and said, "Tokio, if I may?"  
  
She frowned, and all her feelings of not caring/thinking about or needing him washed away, "HELL NO!!!"  
  
He frowned, "Why not?"  
  
"I don't let strangers into my house!"  
  
He crossed his arms, smiling, "I bought this house, moron."  
  
She pouted, but didn't stop, as he stepped inside.  
  
As if nothing had changed. As if nothing happened.  
  
She slid the door behind her, as he walked around the house. She followed behind him closely, then asked, "Why are you here?!! I thought you were never gonna come back!!!"  
  
He smiled down at her, "Disappointed?"  
  
"YOU TOLD ME-"  
  
"I know, I know. But, I changed my mind," he shrugged. Tokio wanted to punch him. He looked around the place, sliding open the door to her room, "Very nice. You can be the best maid yet."  
  
She growled, and kicked at him. Without missing the beat, he sidestepped naturally.  
  
As if nothing had happened beforehand.  
  
But something did happen! She grabbed his arm, "I THOUGHT YOU WERE NEVER COMING BACK!!"  
  
"But I am back," he answered, and he looked around again, "And here I was expecting you to have a family already." He smirked, "What's wrong? Are your standards too high?"  
  
She rolled up her sleeves, "Maybe after I punch you down to size, you'll fit those standards-"  
  
He tugged her sleeve back down, walking by, "I missed that temper of yours, you know.'  
  
"CHEAP FLIRTING ISN'T GOING TO WORK!!"  
  
"And yet she blushes."  
  
She clapped her hands to her cheeks. She retorted, "Only because I'm not even decent, and here you come like you own the damn place-"  
  
"I DO own the place. It's listed under my name."  
  
She stumbled, saving herself for falling over.  
  
"And you're decent enough. You're all covered," he smirked, and fingered a lock of her hair, "And your hair covers you up, too."  
  
She gulped, but didn't say anything. He locked his eyes with her, and walked on. After they made a complete circle of the house, he commented, "Not bad. The outside looked nice too."  
  
"There was a well. I discovered it."  
  
"Discovered it, you say?"  
  
"Yep. I named it after me. Sakura Ichigo."  
  
He smirked, "I thought you were named Tokio."  
  
She shrugged, "I always wanted the names Sakura and Ichigo."  
  
"You can name your kids them."  
  
She laughed, "What makes you think I'll have kids?"  
  
He crossed his arms, "You're right, silly me. What man in his right mind would some crazy lady-"  
  
She shoved him, "Oh, shut up!! Besides, I want a son. I'll teach him to be kick @$$, just like his mommy!"  
  
He smiled, and asked, "May I smoke in here?"  
  
"Knock yourself out," she said. She leaned against the wall next to him. After a few moments of awkward silence, and him puffing away, she bent over and looked up at him, "Hey, ummmmmm................. this is kinda of weird, Goro."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"You said you'd never come back!"  
  
He shrugged, "I lied."  
  
She fell over, and kicked his shin from the ground. To no effect. She got up, and straightened her yukata, "Why didn't you write to me, at least?!!"  
  
He shrugged, "I didn't want to bother you. I had hoped you already moved on."  
  
She was going to retort, when she thought of something. She smiled, "If you hoped I had moved on, you wouldn't be here."  
  
He merely smiled.  
  
She giggled, and leaned against the wall, "Be honest, you missed me."  
  
"Yes, I miss the amusement you bring. Morons can be entertaining-"  
  
He put his hand on her face, keeping her at bay, as she struggled to wrench his head off, "YOU JERK!! I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU FOR A YEAR AND YOU-"  
  
"Nine months."  
  
"-NINE MONTHS, WHATEVER!! AND YOU COME BACK HERE TO INSULT ME!!!"  
  
He nodded, "That seems to be the gist of it."  
  
She sighed, and crossed her arms, turning away, "I should throw you out."  
  
"Why don't you?"  
  
She shrugged, "I've been lonely. My vocal chords can use the stretch." She turned her head to his, "So, what have you been doing?"  
  
"Working."  
  
".................... working what?"  
  
"Working hard," he smirked, "I'm very busy."  
  
"I noticed," she replied flatly, "Ever since the kind of work I saw you do at the hot springs, I almost got an ulcer worrying."  
  
He nearly laughed. No one ever really worried about him. They didn't need to. "Thank you for the sentiment."  
  
"Not you, about the people in your way."  
  
He smiled, "Ah, I see."  
  
More smoking. More silence. She huffed, "So, where is it?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"My favorite hair pin!! The whole reason you're supposed to come back, you dork!!"  
  
"Oh that," he took a long drag, and puffed, "I lost that."  
  
She felt like she breathed flames as she screamed," EEH?!!! You LOST IT?!!! HOW COULD YOU?"  
  
He looked at her, and said slowly, as if to a retarded child, "I-put-it- somewhere, and-now-I-can't-find-it---"  
  
She grabbed his jacket, and raised her fist, "Well, you're buying me a new one!! No, you're buying me SIX NEW ONES!! And if they don't have them in stock anymore, you're MAKING ME TEN!!"  
  
"Yare yare, such a greedy girl-"  
  
She turned away, angry. "I loved that pin!! It went with my-"  
  
"The green went with your eyes, I know." He flicked his cigarette, and watched the orange tip die on it.  
  
In truth, Tokio was a little more relieved to see him back. Alright, GREATLY RELIEVED to see him again. But she felt somewhat dismayed. She thought she made it clear to him that that hairpin meant so much to her. She had it for a very long time, and she wore it on all special occasions. Except her birthday. She wore that little cheap one that day.  
  
She wished he was a bit more compassionate to her feelings.  
  
"To be honest Tokio, I knew you'd be mad."  
  
She scoffed, "Hmph, then you should've brought a burial shroud, cause I'm gonna kill you."  
  
He smirked. She heard his footsteps come behind her, and he said, "That's why I was hoping to give you something in it's place."  
  
She smiled, but closed her eyes, and laughed, "And what would that be? A chokorato stick?"  
  
"No," he smiled, and she gasped as his arm went around her, and held up a diamond ring.  
  
Not just any ring.  
  
THE ring.  
  
The ring no one else could even dare to buy.  
  
The ring she would die for.  
  
The ring he was giving to her.  
  
**..............................oh............................my......................................................GOD!!**  
  
He smirked, "It won't look nice in you hair, but maybe it'll make your stubby fingers appear a bit more graceful."  
  
She had her jaw hanging, as her fingers touched the precious jewel. She had her other fingers to her lips.  
  
"Goro......................"  
  
His chest grazed her back as he inhaled, and spoke, "I left you behind, Tokio. In truth, part of me wanted you to move on, and find happiness with someone else. That way, I wouldn't disappoint you anymore."  
  
She gulped, and couldn't believe she was starting to cry. Her fingers rested on his hand and she slowly tightened her grip on it.  
  
"But more than half wanted to just hold you that whole night. I won't lie to you. I came here, hoping and regretting to see you with another. I just wanted to clear that up for you. I didn't mean to make you cry, Tokio."  
  
He never told anyone what was on his heart, but he closed his eyes and told this foolish girl, "I never want to make you cry."  
  
She gulped, and nearly doubled over in blissful tears, as his other free hand wrapped around her waist. He held her hand with two fingers, and slipped the ring on slowly with his index finger and thumb. She could feel her lip trembling, a mix of a smile and a frown. Why was she crying?!! He wasn't saying good-bye, he was......  
  
She sniffed, and hiccupped, "You ARE proposing, right?"  
  
He smirked, and kissed the part in her hair, "Yes, you moron."  
  
She turned and pushed him, "Jerk!! Don't call me that when- oh God, just come here!!"  
  
She threw her arms around his neck, and didn't let go. She was afraid he'd leave again if he let go.  
  
He returned her love by affectionately rubbing her back slowly. She sobbed, pressing her face into his shoulder, as she was hanging on his neck. Goro didn't even notice he was holding her up, as he just wanted to be as close as possible to her right now. For the first time since the revolution, he found himself free of worry. Free of responsibly, free of any future plans on the police force. For now, he wanted to be with Tokio. And he was going to have at least one night with her. Just one night would be enough.  
  
She sniffed, her sobs dying down, and whimpered, "Oh God, I want to kiss you so bad........."  
  
He smirked, "Then what's stopping you?"  
  
She pulled her head back, and she smiled so beautifully...........  
  
"Goro................... I............I......."  
  
Her heart sang the words, and she felt as if she had sprouted wings to fly. But her words choked up in her throat, leaving her to say so weakly, "I love you."  
  
He leaned against the wall, pulling her with him. He tilted her face up to his, and closed his eyes. He brushed her lips with his, and whispered, "And I love you."  
  
She half swooned as his lips planted firmly on hers, her legs buckling. He didn't mind, as he slowly slid down the wall too. He was sitting against the wall, his legs apart, and she sat herself between them, arms still around his neck, her lips against his, and chests together.  
  
She sniffed, and whispered in the kiss, "Don't ever leave me again, okay? Don't ever go away!!"  
  
He breathed on her neck, letting his hot breath set her heart in passionate flames, "I'll always come back."  
  
She whimpered gleefully as his pressed his lips against her sensitive skin on her neck. Who knew something boring like a neck could bring such tantalizing desire?  
  
She buried her head against his chest, and he left his lips on her forehead.  
  
She sniffed, and said, "Miss Sae's going to wonder where I got the ring."  
  
"Say you found it in a gutter somewhere."  
  
She giggled, and kissed his cheek, "No, I'll say it's because Mrs. Fujita requires a ring."  
  
"So you accept?"  
  
She smiled, "Yes, it's a yes."  
  
He kissed her again and she blushed. God, who knew he was so good at this?  
  
"Thank you," he smirked.  
  
**Nice going, dork. You said things out loud again.**  
  
She slapped her face, "Gah, I need to stop that........."  
  
He pulled her hand away gently, "No, don't stop doing anything, Tokio."  
  
She couldn't stop her lips from tasting his. That smoky flavor they held.............  
  
He didn't resist. In truth, all that candy Tokio consumed by the gallon............. it left her mouth with a rather sweet taste. This part of Tokio he definitely loved. And she could kiss him for as long as she wanted. It wasn't for him to decide.  
  
"Tokio?"  
  
"Mmm?" she looked up at him.  
  
He pulled out her jaded and gilded ivory hair pin from his pocket, and held it in front of her face, "I lied about the hair pin."  
  
She nearly cried again. God, everything he was doing was making her cry!! She snatched it from him, and kissed him deeply again.  
  
His hand ran along the length of her body, and she nearly shivered. Her toes curled with the feeling, and she rubbed her tears away, and laid her head in his chest again. He ran his fingers through her long hair, and then let it rest on her head, rubbing her temple.  
  
She bit her lip, and whispered, "Will you be here when I wake up?"  
  
He bent down, and kissed the spot above her ear, "I'll always be here when you wake up."  
  
For the rest of Tokio's life, she woke up in her husband's arms. And every time, he was always awake, watching her face. She never knew why, she never asked. It didn't bother her.  
  
He woke up early just to spend five minutes alone with her everyday. he would caress her body, or her face. Whichever he felt he wanted. And with his gentle touch with calloused fingers, she would slowly wake. Always with a smile. Which caused him to smile.  
  
And that suited Tokio just fine.  
  
**Until he got a call from Lord Okubo for a Kenshin Himura..........................  
  
........................ but you already know how that goes. n_n  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Owari ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
***AND OKAY, WE'RE DONE AND DONE HERE!! Damn, that was so friggin' long. And I'm going to Vegas in a few hours, so I'll be gone for a day or two. So, I won't be updating anything. And besides, this is the end. Unless I decide to write an epilogue. Gah, I just seem to add more chapters, I can't stop!! But, the story defiantly ends here. Ever wonder how I came up with the story? Sure, I'll tell ya. I have time right now it's a Saturday.  
  
You ever downloaded Saito's theme? It's got that weird guitar and the constant beat in the beginning. But throughout the whole song, there would be sections of silence, filled with a soft pulse and a flute. I always throughout the strong beating part was Saito, and the delicate but quick flute was his wife nobody knew about.  
  
Also, on the episode he revealed he had a wife, he seemed a bit embarrassed to admit he had one. Leading me to think he was a bit embarrassed of Tokio, because she's such a weird lady to call a wife.  
  
Anyways, for someone who can't stand romance things like the movie Titanic or something, I sure write my share of them. I was thinking of doing a story just focusing on saito, but it's kinda tough. After all, I'm a girl. That's why writing Tokio was the easiest thing to do. It was also easy to do her, since there really are no guidelines for Saito. I coulda made her a fat old hag, and no one would've been able to prove me wrong. (and please don't slam me with historical facts about his wife. I never liked writing fiction based on non fiction)  
  
And here I go, trailing off again. Ah well, I'm glad I'm done with this story. Time ta move on!!  
  
*bows* AND THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE READ THIS FROM BEGINNING TO END. I'd kiss ya, but I don't know where you live, and I'm very ugly. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  
  
--- Pechan 


End file.
